Lk 20 Jesus knew Mary as his own mother

Bible Alive Homily

7 November • Sunday

Luke 20:27-38

Some years ago a young mother was grieving over the tragic loss of her three year-old daughter. The tragedy was compounded by the fact that the child was seriously disabled and could do little on her own. Her mother literally carried her everywhere. In order to find some comfort, she asked a priest what heaven would be like and whether, at the end of time, her daughter would still recognize her as her mother. It turned out that Jesus' words to the Sadducees in today's reading had disturbed the mother and she wondered what it meant that there was no marriage in heaven. Would our earthly relationships still continue in heaven?

The priest at first did not know how to answer. He did not want to give an answer that was based on wishful thinking, nor did he want to cause doubts in the woman's mind.
Then, perhaps by a moment of grace,
he asked her a question. He asked her if she thought
that in heaven Jesus knew Mary as his own mother.
The young mother had no doubts about that, so the priest answered:
'I cannot imagine that it would be any different for you and your daughter.'

Perhaps we all have questions about what heaven will be like. Sometimes we have certain fears. Surely one concerns the thought of eternity. The question hovers at the back of our minds: will we get bored with heaven? Eternity is a concept that is impossible for us to grasp.

But there is one experience on earth of which it is impossible for us ever to tire. To love and to be loved is the universal longing of all of humanity. In spite of so many failures in love and in marriage, we also sense that love is the one thing that can truly fulfil us. It is the power of sin, present in the world and in our lives, that threatens to disrupt our deep desire to love and to be loved.

In his answer to the Sadducees, Jesus says that in the resurrection we shall be like the angels and can no longer die. The implication is that there will be no more sin and therefore, there will be nothing to impede our loving and being loved. We shall be children of God perfectly fulfilled by God's love for us and our love for him.