Reflection on homily for 32nd Sunday Cycle C: Focus on heavenly things and respond in Christian charity

Father Joe told a story about a woman who was newly retired and ready to volunteer her time to help someone in need.  She asked her pastor if someone could use some help and he recommended an older woman who had trouble getting to church.  She gladly agreed to pick her up and drive her to church for Mass.  After some time the pastor asked the woman how it was going.  She answered that the older woman had sued her after falling when getting out of her car.  The pastor assumed that the relationship had ended, but to his surprise he found out the woman was still continuing to drive the older lady to church.  She said that she wasn’t going to let the older woman’s demeanor get in the way of her acting with Christian charity.   She was focused on heavenly things and not letting the earthly trials distracts her. 

 The Sadducees in the Gospel were focused on earthly things and trying to trip up Jesus with their questions about whom the woman would be married to after all her husbands died.  Since the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, they were not thinking about how our lives would be different in heaven.  Their questioning was not of pure intention.   Jesus responded back in Christian charity and gave them an answer about the resurrection of the dead and life in heaven.   He even pointed out a familiar passage from Moses to help them understand. 

            Both situations made me think about this week on how the need to treat others with Christian charity by being pure in my intentions when asking someone questions and also to respond in love even when the others may not be treating me the same way.  If I think of earthly things this will be hard, but if I think of my heavenly destination and the resurrection of the dead it possible.  With the help of Jesus of course!  May God bless you this week!