Luke 20//27-28
BACKGROUND: Jewish ideas about the after life had slowly evolved into the Second Temple Era from belief in an underworld (Sheol) where only shades existed, to belief in the resurrection of the body. Neither side conceived of the existence of a separate soul. It was a red hot subject for debate in the rabbinical schools. In today's Gospel we have a classical example of rabbinical argumentation, the exchange of scriptural references to prove a point (not unlike the argument between Jesus and the Devil during the Temptation in the Desert). His opponents, this time the Saducees, representatives of the high priestly class, try to trick him with a reference to the legal requirements of marrying the widow of one's relatives. Jesus slaps them down with a quote. It is important to understand that the quote by itself hardly proves human survival (though perhaps it hints at it). Rather Jesus is using an appropriate text according to the rules of rabbinical discourse. He intends to say nothing about the nature of the world to come, much less about sex in heaven (an issue about which moderns are willing to admit their concern and interest). As someone who is in the camp of the Pharisees on the subject of resurrection, he is demonstrating rabbinical skill in refuting the other side. Through St. Luke he also assures us that we will rise from the dead.

STORY: In his book Sacred Hoops, Phil Jackson, coach of the Chicago Bulls, tells how scary it was to coach in the Puerto Rican summer league: noisy, drunken crowds who threatened the players and the coaches and who sometimes almost broke up the game (sounds like playing the Knicks at home!) Once, before the game was to start, he retreated to the small, dirty locker room to meditate. There he had to confront his life-long fear of spiders. He saw a giant tarantula (the size of a softball) near his head. His meditation had brought him some clarity; he did not panic. "I just sat there and watched the giant tarantula slowly - ever so slowly - make its way along the wall. I wanted sit through the fear, to experience it as fully as possible, until I felt comfortable enough to just be there in the room. And I did. When I finally got up and returned to the stadium, I didn't feel anxious anymore. From then on, the riotous nature of life in Puerto Rico no longer posed a threat.