In today’s Gospel, the Sadducees came to Jesus with a test question in order to disprove the hope of resurrection which Jesus teaches to His followers. However, Jesus did not fall into their trap nor attempted to give a reply to their question because He already knew that they are testing him.

Sometimes we are like the Sadducees who try to test and question God. I remember when my mother was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. I was asking God, “Are you really there? Are you real or are you just a mere imagination? Are you just watching us? Why does my mom have to suffer like this? Why did she have this disease which could lead to an early death? Why her? Why us? Did I do something wrong towards other people for us to experience this?” I had a lot of questions in mind and felt that Jesus did not even attempt to give a response. He opened my mind though to other possibilities. He helped me see the thin silver lining in this situation. By turning to His word, I experienced how He redirected me from many misleading thoughts.

The Gospel today reminds me to trust in Him for He only desires what is best for me. He is always with us regardless of how difficult life is. Trust in Him, for He is “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” He is not god of the dead but the God of the living. It is He who loves life and sends his Son to bring us life to the fullest.

By: Sem. Nico Jay Z. del Mundo

Today’s Gospel

Mk 12:18-27

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,
came to Jesus and put this question to him, 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 and died, leaving no descendants.
So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants,
and the third likewise.
And the seven left no descendants.
Last of all the woman also died.
At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be?
For all seven had been married to her.”
Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled
because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
When they rise from the dead,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but they are like the angels in heaven.
As for the dead being raised,
have you not read in the Book of Moses,
in the passage about the bush, how God told him,
I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob?
He is not God of the dead but of the living.
You are greatly misled.”