Seven brothers and their mother were arrested and were being compelled by the king, under torture with whips and thongs, to partake of unlawful swine’s flesh. One of them, acting as their spokesman, said, “What do you intend to ask and learn from us? For we are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.” And when he was at his last breath, he said, “You accursed wretch, you dismiss us from this present life, but the King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws.”
After him, the third was the victim of their sport. When it was demanded, he quickly put out his tongue and courageously stretched forth his hands and said nobly, “I got these from Heaven and because of his laws I disdain them and from him I hope to get them back again.”
As a result, the king himself and those with him were astonished at the young man’s spirit, for he regarded his sufferings as nothing. After he too had died, they maltreated and tortured the fourth in the same way. When he was near death, he said, “One cannot but choose to die at the hands of mortals and to cherish the hope God gives of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!”
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.
Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
After him, the third was the victim of their sport. When it was demanded, he quickly put out his tongue and courageously stretched forth his hands and said nobly, “I got these from Heaven and because of his laws I disdain them and from him I hope to get them back again.”
As a result, the king himself and those with him were astonished at the young man’s spirit, for he regarded his sufferings as nothing. After he too had died, they maltreated and tortured the fourth in the same way. When he was near death, he said, “One cannot but choose to die at the hands of mortals and to cherish the hope God gives of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!”
Second reading 2 Thessalonians 2:16–3:5
Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, just as it is among you and that we may be rescued from wicked and evil people; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus to question him, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married and died childless; then the second and the third married her and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.”
Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.”
Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.”
Reflection
By Anabelle P. Balla
I will praise your name for ever, my God, the God of the living!
Today is the birthday of my second daughter, Cereza. Her life is a gift to us, a life to protect and enrich. We thank the Lord for entrusting her precious life to us along with her other three sisters, and the many living things that He surrounds us with.
The flowers, the trees, the plants, the birds, the animals, the children – all breathing, all beautiful, all manifest the amazing Creator of the living! We are all made to live not just to exist but to do wonders with what we have, with the things around us. Everything that is beautiful and living is of God. And He makes them vibrant, significant and more impactful!
We are to make our life beautiful, fruitful! We need to be living, not dying within because of sins or unproductive life. Living is being alive with God, doing His works, loving and nurturing His creations (including ourselves). Living is being a child of God, being more like Him, imitating His goodness so that even after death, we will still live, raised back to life as angels - filled with overflowing joy, dancing and singing in exultation.
I will praise your name for ever, my God, the God of the living!
Today is the birthday of my second daughter, Cereza. Her life is a gift to us, a life to protect and enrich. We thank the Lord for entrusting her precious life to us along with her other three sisters, and the many living things that He surrounds us with.
The flowers, the trees, the plants, the birds, the animals, the children – all breathing, all beautiful, all manifest the amazing Creator of the living! We are all made to live not just to exist but to do wonders with what we have, with the things around us. Everything that is beautiful and living is of God. And He makes them vibrant, significant and more impactful!
We are to make our life beautiful, fruitful! We need to be living, not dying within because of sins or unproductive life. Living is being alive with God, doing His works, loving and nurturing His creations (including ourselves). Living is being a child of God, being more like Him, imitating His goodness so that even after death, we will still live, raised back to life as angels - filled with overflowing joy, dancing and singing in exultation.
Prayer
Father, thank You for breathing life into us, into our world. Thank You for living in us, making our life wonderful to live on. Allow us to live in You, to stay with You, In Jesus' name. Amen.
Father, thank You for breathing life into us, into our world. Thank You for living in us, making our life wonderful to live on. Allow us to live in You, to stay with You, In Jesus' name. Amen.
