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As the Maccabeans suffered for the Old Law, we will have to suffer for our faith in the New Covenant. Yet He will guard us in the shadow of His wing, keep us as the apple of His eye. And we have even greater cause than they for hope. One who has risen from the dead has given us His word - that He is the God of the living, that when we awake from the sleep of death we will behold His face, be content in His presence. Halleluiah!

2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14

Psalm 17:1,5-6,8,15

2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5

L uke 20:27-38  There came to him some Sadducees, those who say that there is no resurrection, (28) and they asked him a question, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the wife and raise up children for his brother. (29) Now there were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and died without children; (30) and the second (31) and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. (32) Afterward the woman also died. (33) In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife." (34) And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage; (35) but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, (36) for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. (37) But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. (38) Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to him."

Meditation by Scott Hahn

W ith their riddle about seven brothers and a childless widow, the Sadducees in today’s Gospel mock the faith for which seven brothers and their mother die in the First Reading.

The Maccabean martyrs chose death – tortured limb by limb, burned alive – rather than betray God’s Law. Their story is given to us in these last weeks of the Church year to strengthen us for endurance - that our feet not falter but remain steadfast on His paths.

The Maccabeans died hoping that the “King of the World” would raise them to live again forever (see 2 Maccabees 14:46).

The Sadducees don’t believe in the Resurrection because they can’t find it literally taught in the Scriptures. To ridicule this belief they fix on a law that requires a woman to marry her husband’s brother if he should die without leaving an heir (see Genesis 38:8; Deuteronomy 25:5).

But God’s Law wasn’t given to ensure the raising up of descendants to earthly fathers. The Law was given, as Jesus explains, to make us worthy to be “children of God” – sons and daughters born of His Resurrection.

“God our Father,” today’s Epistle tells us, has given us “everlasting encouragement” in the Resurrection of Christ. Through His grace, we can now direct our hearts to the love of God.

As the Maccabeans suffered for the Old Law, we will have to suffer for our faith in the New Covenant. Yet He will guard us in the shadow of His wing, keep us as the apple of His eye, as we sing in today’s Psalm.

The Maccabeans’ persecutors marveled at their courage. We too can glorify the Lord in our sufferings and in the daily sacrifices we make.

And we have even greater cause than they for hope. One who has risen from the dead has given us His word - that He is the God of the living, that when we awake from the sleep of death we will behold His face, be content in His presence (see Psalm 76:6; Daniel 12:2).

Supplementary Reading

Persevere Until You See the Promise

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised – Hebrews 10:36

W hat are you believing God for today? Promotion? Healing? Stronger relationships? Deliverance? God has promised all these things to you in His Word because it’s His heart for you to live in blessing and wholeness.

When you follow the will of God by obeying His Word and precepts, it opens the door for His promises to be fulfilled in your life. You may be doing all the right things today — don’t give up! Perseverance will carry you to the promise.

Perseverance means that you are focused, that you are believing what God says about your situation. It’s looking away from distractions and any negative, defeating thoughts. Perseverance looks away from discouragement and looks to the Word of God. Perseverance has a voice, and it says things like, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper! If God is for me, who can be against me! I am more than a conqueror through Jesus!”

Whatever you are believing for today, keep believing! Stand strong and fight the good fight of faith. Ask God to give you endurance, perseverance and patience so that you can see His promises fulfilled in every area of your life!

Father in heaven, thank You for Your good promises to me. I ask that You give me a heart that is steadfast and fixed on You. Fill me with Your peace and perseverance so I can live in victory all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.—Joel & Victoria Osteen

GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.

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