December 5, 2011

Reflection (The readings are below, for your reference)

Lately I have been trying to practice living in the present. “Trying” is the key word here. Sometimes my trying is more fruitful than other times. However, this reading makes me chuckle at the utter humanity of the Sadducees; not content to live in the present or even the near future, they must micro-manage the after-life. This poor hypothetical woman, who must deal with becoming a widow seven times … surely she should be allowed to look forward to resting in the arms of a consoling God without fretting about earthly rules concerning marriage.

Gracious loving God, help me to see the ways that I over-complicate my present by fixating on the future.

Namaste

The Readings

Matthew 22:23-33

The same day some Sadducees came to him, saying there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, 'Teacher, Moses said, "If a man dies childless, his brother shall marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother." Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died childless, leaving the widow to his brother. The second did the same, so also the third, down to the seventh. Last of all, the woman herself died. In the resurrection, then, whose wife of the seven will she be? For all of them had married her.' Jesus answered them, 'You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.' And when the crowd heard it, they were astounded at his teaching.