Daily Readings - Sat Nov 24 2018
Revelation
4These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands, standing in the sight of the lord of the earth5And if anyone will want to harm them, fire shall go forth from their mouths, and it shall devour their enemies. And if anyone will want to wound them, so must he be slain6These have the power to close up the heavens, so that it may not rain during the days of their prophesying. And they have power over the waters, to convert them into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of affliction as often as they will7And when they will have finished their testimony, the beast that ascended from the abyss will make war against them, and will overcome them, and will kill them8And their bodies shall lie in the streets of the Great City, which is figuratively called ‘Sodom’ and ‘Egypt,’ the place where their Lord also was crucified9And those from the tribes and peoples and languages and nations shall be watching their bodies for three and one half days. And they shall not permit their bodies to be placed in tombs10And the inhabitants of the earth will rejoice over them, and they will celebrate, and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tortured those who were living upon the earth11And after three and one half days, the spirit of life from God entered into them. And they stood upright on their feet. And a great fear fell over those who saw them12And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying to them, "Ascend to here!" And they ascended into heaven on a cloud. And their enemies saw them
Luke
27Now some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, approached him. And they questioned him28saying: "Teacher, Moses wrote for us: If any man’s brother will have died, having a wife, and if he does not have any children, then his brother should take her as his wife, and he should raise up offspring for his brother29And so there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and he died without sons30And the next one married her, and he also died without a son31And the third married her, and similarly all seven, and none of them left behind any offspring, and they each died32Last of all, the woman also died33In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be? For certainly all seven had her as a wife.34And so, Jesus said to them: "The children of this age marry and are given in marriage35Yet truly, those who shall be held worthy of that age, and of the resurrection from the dead, will neither be married, nor take wives36For they can no longer die. For they are equal to the Angels, and they are children of God, since they are children of the resurrection37For in truth, the dead do rise again, as Moses also showed beside the bush, when he called the Lord: ‘The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.38And so he is not the God of the dead, but of the living. For all are alive to him.39Then some of the scribes, in response, said to him, "Teacher, you have spoken well.40And they no longer dared to question him about anything
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about hope, perseverance, and the nature of resurrection. The first reading from Revelation 11:4-12 presents the symbolic story of two olive trees and lampstands, representing the prophetic voice of the church. These witnesses face persecution, death, and then a dramatic resurrection, ascending to heaven. This imagery reassures us that despite trials, God's power prevails, offering hope to believers enduring adversity.
In the Gospel, Luke 20:27-40, Jesus engages with the Sadducees, who question the concept of resurrection through a scenario involving seven brothers and a woman. Jesus explains that in the resurrection, marital relationships cease, and the resurrected live like angels, as children of God. He supports this with Moses' encounter, emphasizing that God is the God of the living, not the dead. This teaching underscores the reality of resurrection and its transformative nature.
Both readings converge on the theme of resurrection, highlighting its symbolic and theological dimensions. Revelation's witnesses embody enduring faith amidst persecution, while Luke's passage provides the theological foundation, assuring us of life beyond death. In daily life, these readings encourage us to live with hope, focusing on eternal life and trusting in God's plan. The moral lesson is clear: our ultimate hope lies in resurrection, where God's life-giving power overcomes all suffering. Let us embrace this hope, living in alignment with God's will, trusting in His eternal plan.