God of the Living
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
For a shorter option of today’s Gospel reading, please visit: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Luke 20:27-38 – Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her." Jesus said to them, "The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to 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."
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
The Sadducees were a prominent religious and political group of Jews who, during the time of Jesus, were in charge of the Temple. The Sadducees were very careful to protect their prominent, comfortable lives. What made them even more protective of their comfort was the fact that they believed life on earth was the only life that existed. They didn’t believe in life after death nor in being rewarded or punished after death. And their lack of faith distorted their morality.
There are many people today, even people who call themselves Christians, who reject the Biblical teachings on heaven, hell, angels, demons, good, evil, miracles, and even the one true God. Often people would choose to believe in these realities except that their belief would then require them to change the way they live. If they were to believe as true Christians, they could no longer live for pleasure, power, honor, wealth, or comfort. But Jesus Christ Himself believes in these realities and He mentions them often in Scripture. Our Christian beliefs should change the way we live—for the better! In prayer let’s ask our guardian angels to help us have greater faith in Christ’s teachings, and therefore to live greater Christian lives.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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