God Not of the Dead, But of the Living

This meditation is based on a passage for February 17, 2011 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Mark 12:13-27

Reflection and Question: These two stories – the challenge to Jesus concerning taxes to Caesar and the challenge to explain how a woman married seven times in this life will be married after the resurrection – are tied together not only here in Mark, but also by Matthew and Luke in their Gospels. Both describe encounters that are meant to be “Gotcha” questions. Jesus responds to both with truths that astonish and silence His adversaries – who are the powers that be in His time. One element that strikes me here is that Jesus gives lower priority to marriage than do many of the powerful voices in our time. Who is challenging the powers that be in our time?

Prayer: Beloved Jesus, we ponder that God is God of the living, not of the dead. As we live, we pause in wonder that God is most present to us, those who live in this beautiful world right now. Right now, may we ask the right questions of You. Amen.