The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, June 7, 2006
Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12
Psalm 123:1b-2ab, 2cdef
Mark 12:18-27

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today’s gospel, our Lord gives us a wonderful glimpse into heaven and what it is like in that glorious place. The image He gives us is completely opposite from what we have here on earth.

The Sadducees were trying to apply the laws that Moses wrote to the heavenly setting, where they really do not apply. These laws were set down for God’s chosen people as they were on earth, a lost people, tempted by sin, subject to the social and cultural structures of the times. As a result, the Sadducees were gravely mistaken about heaven and eternity.

As Jesus pointed out to them, those in heaven are like the angels. The heavenly environment is one that is enveloped with the love of God and His total presence. There is no sin, no temptation and no culture or social structures to deal with. It is where all are fully alive, with the gift of eternal life our Savior gave us. The laws of Moses and the laws of our earth will have no place there – all are totally free.

This is what we seek – to be surrounded by total and complete love, only as the one Heavenly Father can give.

- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)