Gospel: (Luke 20:27-38)

Jesus said: “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called out ‘Lord,’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

Reflection:

The gospel isn’t really about marriage, but about resurrection and the new life it brings. Resurrection is a way of living with surety and hope. Resurrection is surety about eternal life because we have remained faithful to God. The basis for our belief in resurrection is hope. Although hope always has a future orientation about it, when we have confidence in God’s grace to bring about change in us, when we have patience with ourselves while that change comes about, we already have something of the future in the present—we are already living this new, resurrected life when we remain faithful to God. The relationship to be celebrated in resurrected life is the relationship of being “children of God” in an everlasting relationship with the living God. We must have zeal for God and God’s ways such that it is a way of life for us. God is a God of the living. That is the core of our hope. (Living Liturgy, p.244)

Vincentian Meditation:

 The Old Testament prophets have been described as men who had not optimism, but who had hope. The distinction is a valid one. Optimism is a human quality; hope is a spiritual one. A Christian may not always be optimistic about the world, but he need never be without hope, for Jesus Christ has risen and is with us. Therefore, at no time should we be without hope for the future. (McCullen, Deep Down Things, p.29)

Discussion: (Share your thoughts after a moment of silence)

 What are the signs of hope that you see in today’s world?

Closing Prayer:

Jesus, our hope,
-guide us in our decisions.

Jesus, our hope,
-guard us in our choices.

Jesus, our hope,
-root us in your words.

Amen