Woman with seven husbands? Lk 20:27-40

Jesus challenged by the Sadducees

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Nivard . . .
Sent: Friday, 18 November 2011, 20:13
Subject: Woman with seven husbands?

OL 33 Sat 19 Nov 2011        Lk. 20: 27-40.  

The Sadducees asked Jesus this malicious ques­tion; "At the resurrection, to which of the seven brothers will she be wife?" Their ploy is to make Jesus say that love is impossible in heaven.

But when we experience compunction in ourselves, like that of King Antiochus, we begin to see the truth. King Antiochus said, "I am convinced that this is why these misfortunes have overtaken me. I am dying of melan­choly."

The only thing that can console us, on this earth, is the prospect of an unending, all-encompassing heavenly love.

God is love. Everyone who lives in love lives in God and God in each one of them.  

                ‘Magnificat’ today’s introduction modified’

Father, we thank you for hearing our prayer. As we long for heaven, fill our hearts with your love. Through Christ our Lord.

                                                                                           ***************

                                                   What is Heaven Like

When is heaven truly and completely present? It is when all heaviness is gone; when all sluggishness has been overcome, all wickedness, coldness, pride, irrita­tion, disobedience, and covetousness; when there is no danger anymore of falling away; when grace has made one’s whole being open up, body and soul, to the ultimate profundities, when there is no further danger that it will all close in again, become hardened in ways of evil; when all work to be done on earth is finished, and all guilt has been paid by repentance. What all this means is: after death

After death - when time is no longer; when everything is in the everlasting now; when nothing can change any­more, but the creature stands illuminated by the light of eternity, before God - at that time, everything will be open, and will remain so. That is being in heaven.

This is how we properly understand heaven. It is that close presence wherein the Father stands in relation to Jesus Christ. And heaven for us will be participation in this intimacy of love. This condition is already beginning; it approaches closer; now in peril, it is fought over, lost, and won back again. $0 it goes with our Christian life.

                                                                         

MONSIGNOR ROMANO GUARDINI Monsignor Guardini (d. 1968) was born in Italy and was a renowned theologian and writer.