Daily Readings - Sat Nov 22 2025
Luke
27There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection,28and 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 widow and raise up offspring for his brother.29Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children.30And the second31and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died.32Afterward the woman also died.33In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife."34And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage,35but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage,36for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.37But 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.38Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him."39Then some of the scribes answered, "Teacher, you have spoken well."40For they no longer dared to ask him any question.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two very different narratives, yet both invite us to reflect on the nature of human ambition, the consequences of our choices, and the ultimate hope that lies beyond this life. The first reading from 1 Maccabees tells the story of King Antiochus, who, having failed in his attempt to plunder a temple in Persia, is overwhelmed by grief and regret. His once-proud spirit is broken as he confronts the reality of his own mortality and the evil deeds he has committed. This passage serves as a cautionary tale about the fleeting nature of earthly power and the inevitable consequences of sin.
The Gospel reading from Luke shifts our focus from the temporal to the eternal. Jesus engages in a debate with the Sadducees, who deny the resurrection of the dead. Using a hypothetical scenario about a woman who marries seven brothers in succession, the Sadducees attempt to discredit the idea of an afterlife. Jesus, however, turns their question on its head. He explains that life in the resurrection is fundamentally different from life in this world. There will be no marriage or earthly relationships, for the resurrected will live in a state akin to the angels, free from death and decay. Jesus grounds this teaching in the Scriptures, reminding his listeners that God is the God of the living, not the dead.
These readings invite us to reflect on the ultimate purpose of our lives. The story of Antiochus warns us against allowing ambition and greed to dominate our hearts, for such pursuits ultimately lead to emptiness and regret. Jesus, on the other hand, offers us hope. He reminds us that our true fulfillment is not found in the things of this world but in the eternal life that awaits us. As we navigate the challenges of daily life, let us keep our eyes fixed on the horizon of eternity. May we strive to live in such a way that we are prepared to meet God face to face, trusting in his promise of resurrection and eternal life.