Homily for Saturday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time Cycle I
Theme: It Is The Question About The Resurrection.
By: Fr Diotacious Chikontwe SMA
Homily for Saturday November 20 2021
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
1 Maccabes: 6:1-13
Psalm 9:2-4,6,16,19
Luke: 20:27-40
*INTRODUCTION*
In the Gospel passage of today, we heard of the Lord Jesus and His encounter with the Sadducees, as they discussed about the matter of the resurrection from the dead and the afterlife. The Sadducees were one of the two very influential group back then in the Jewish community, which was made up of those who were powerful and rich, the aristocratic families and those with connections, and many of them were strongly influenced by Hellenism or Greek ways and customs.
*WHY DID THE SADDUCEES ASK JESUS ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD?*
As they asked that, actually the Sadducees were showing that they feared what was to come after they die. While they did not believe in the resurrection, that also meant that they were afraid to part with all the things that they then currently enjoyed in life. They asked Him what would happen to a woman who married seven husbands and all of the husbands died, and who would be that woman’s husband in the afterlife because they were very concerned about worldly matters and things, and they do not want to lose what they were familiar with in the world, like their possessions, status, attachments and many other things.
*ARE WE READY TO WELCOME JESUS FULLY AND ENTER INTO HIS KINGDOM?*
Today’s readings serve as a reminder for our own fragile mortal existence, and we should remember that no matter how great we are in this world, we are still all the same before God, and we will have to answer Him for every single one of our actions and deeds. Will these be found worthy or wanting by the Lord? Will God find true and living faith in us, or will He instead find hypocrisy and lukewarmness in faith?
*THE CENTRAL MESSEGE OF TODAYS LITURGY!*
The Lord revealed and reaffirmed that life after death is a reality, for our existence in this world is meant to be a temporary one. After passing through death, all those who are faithful to God and remained true to Him to the end will be judged worthy to share His glorious inheritance, to share in the beatific vision of the saints, whether immediately or through the fires of Purgatory. And in the end, it is immaterial what status or riches we have in this world, for all of us will be equal before God and equally beloved by Him without any prejudice and bias.
*CONCLUSION*
Let us all ponder these questions and discern carefully our path moving forward in life, so that we may know how to proceed and to dedicate ourselves from now on, that we may be worthy before the Lord. May God bless us all and may he always remain with us.
HAVE A BLESSED SATURDAY!
Fr Diotacious Chikontwe SMA