like angels

Easter: Morning Light

"they are like angels and are children of God, children of the resurrection"

Though at our church we’re taking advantage of the rubric that says we may push All Saints Day to the following Sunday, here’s the regular gospel for next Sunday, Proper 27C:

Luke 20:27-38

Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him a question, "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.”

That’s a tough one to ponder, much less to preach, impossible to take lightly, so then as a promise. Robert just phoned me to say his daughter Cindy died this morning. A father of daughters, I cannot even begin to imagine my dear friend’s agony. 

O God, whose beloved Son took children into his arms and blessed them: Give Robert and his family grace to entrust Cindy to your never-failing care and love. Grant her an entrance into your land of light and joy, in the fellowship of your saints. By the comforting presence of your Holy Spirit, deal graciously with Robert, with Cindy’s sisters, husband and children in their grief. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come. Console us who mourn. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, that in quiet confidence we may continue our course on earth, until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

I reckon that’s a promise.

T+

pic: thank you, PB407