I Believe in the Resurrection of the Dead – Going Deep.
My Dad and I would fish in the shallows of a lake during spring. I asked him why, and he said that fish build nests with rocks to spawn. After the females lay eggs, the males fertilize them and guard the nests. That is when we can catch our limit of fish. In summer, the fish move to deeper, cooler water.
The Sadducees in today’s gospel remained stuck on the surface of their faith all year long. They didn’t realize they could connect with God on His terms deep in their hearts. All they needed to do was follow the Law. It was all about them and what they did. They never truly experienced the Presence of the Lord in their hearts.
To shock them into reality, Jesus once said they were full of dead men’s bones.” That pretty much sized them up. All they had was the here and now, where they were in control. In their minds, there was no heaven or hell, no resurrection or life after death, and their faith remained shallow.
So, when Jesus came and spoke about relating to God personally, they were out of their element. All they could do was mock Jesus because they couldn’t connect with Him. They created a false story about a woman who married seven brothers to discredit our Lord on the resurrection of the dead. They asked Jesus who her husband would be in the resurrection, and thought they had trapped Him.
Even though they mocked Jesus, He opened His heart to them so they could embrace God’s mercy. He invited them to go deeper, where He could relate to them personally, highlighting that God is of the living, not the dead. However, they wouldn’t step outside their comfort zone and trust Jesus with their innermost secrets, so they chose not to comply.
Gospel Challenge:
How about us? What secrets of our hearts will we share with Jesus today, tomorrow, and all the days to come? He is there waiting to hear from us. You don’t have to use words—feel the prayer with your heart. Go ahead. See what happens.
,November 20, 2025, Luke 19:41-44 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112025.cfm Tears over Jerusalem. Imagine the grief in the heart of Jesus as he approached Jerusalem. He wanted them to receive
November 19, 2025, Luke 19:11-28 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111925.cfm When I can’t love as much as someone needs, God can. A keyword in today’s gospel is “trade,” which
November 18, 2025, Luke 19:1-10 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111825.cfm Zacchaeus was filled with boundless joy upon receiving Jesus into his life. Jesus walked into town just like any
November 17, 2025, Luke 18:35-53 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111725.cfm Crying out! Every day, the blind man in the gospel had his hand out, begging for food. Begging was
Father Rick’s Gospel Reflection for Saturday, 33rd Week in Ordinary Time,
November 22, 2025, Luke 20:27-40
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112225.cfm
I Believe in the Resurrection of the Dead – Going Deep.
My Dad and I would fish in the shallows of a lake during spring. I asked him why, and he said that fish build nests with rocks to spawn. After the females lay eggs, the males fertilize them and guard the nests. That is when we can catch our limit of fish. In summer, the fish move to deeper, cooler water.
The Sadducees in today’s gospel remained stuck on the surface of their faith all year long. They didn’t realize they could connect with God on His terms deep in their hearts. All they needed to do was follow the Law. It was all about them and what they did. They never truly experienced the Presence of the Lord in their hearts.
To shock them into reality, Jesus once said they were full of dead men’s bones.” That pretty much sized them up. All they had was the here and now, where they were in control. In their minds, there was no heaven or hell, no resurrection or life after death, and their faith remained shallow.
So, when Jesus came and spoke about relating to God personally, they were out of their element. All they could do was mock Jesus because they couldn’t connect with Him. They created a false story about a woman who married seven brothers to discredit our Lord on the resurrection of the dead. They asked Jesus who her husband would be in the resurrection, and thought they had trapped Him.
Even though they mocked Jesus, He opened His heart to them so they could embrace God’s mercy. He invited them to go deeper, where He could relate to them personally, highlighting that God is of the living, not the dead. However, they wouldn’t step outside their comfort zone and trust Jesus with their innermost secrets, so they chose not to comply.
Gospel Challenge:
How about us? What secrets of our hearts will we share with Jesus today, tomorrow, and all the days to come? He is there waiting to hear from us. You don’t have to use words—feel the prayer with your heart. Go ahead. See what happens.
Love Your Neighbor!
Peace be with you.
Fr. Rick Pilger, I.C.
www.bscchurch.com
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