Church of Immaculate Mary

Church of Immaculate Mary We are working to build a community that is diverse and accepting, while maintaining a spirit of pra We are an inclusive and accepting church. All are welcome!

We are an affirming, Franciscan, Old Catholic Community that is focused on being the educational activities of the Christ in a sacramental context. We need to bring solace to those who have been marginalized, forgotten, abused and are burdened not just in word but also in activity. We think the church should be a lasting witness to truth, freedom, serenity, and justice for all masses.

06/08/2026

Daily Reflection

June 8, 20226

Nine Beatitudes

Matthew 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I am blessed to be a member of the New Covenant People of God. Help me to appreciate and value what that means. Humanity walked in darkness for centuries, but now has the light of Christ and his words of eternal life. I have received that light and those words, and I thank you.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Three Beatitudes of Humility: Today, we begin our twelve-week daily journey through the Gospel of Matthew with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon begins with a list of nine blessings (Matthew 5:3-12) and ends with three warnings (Matthew 7:13-27). The nine blessings or beatitudes can be grouped into three sets of three. The first three focus on humility, which is the foundation of prayer and the Christian life (CCC, 2559). Being “poor in spirit” means not being puffed up with the spirit of pride, it means being detached from earthly wealth, it means using our wealth to serve others who are less fortunate, and it means being humble through the grace of the Holy Spirit. The second Beatitude blesses those who mourn. Mourning is something good when we shed tears of repentance, when we comfort someone who has just lost a loved one, or when we cry out to heaven for evil to be overcome in the world. The third Beatitude encourages us to be meek and gentle of heart. A person who is truly meek is not weak or timid. They are patient, keep their anger in check, and act prudently and promptly. If we are humble, if we mourn, if we are meek, then, with God’s grace, we will enjoy the comfort of God’s love and live in the Kingdom and Promised Land of Heaven.

2. Three Beatitudes of Righteousness: The next three beatitudes focus on justice and righteousness. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: this can refer to the pursuit of justice or the deep desire for holiness. Being righteous means being in a right relationship with God and also with our neighbors. Blessed are the merciful: Mercy, in the New Covenant, is at the foundation of justice. Sometimes we are tempted to seek justice and occasionally be merciful. But this is not how the Church speaks about the relationship between justice and mercy. God is always just and merciful. The two are inseparable. There can be no true justice without mercy and no true mercy without justice. Blessed are the clean of heart: on the one hand, this beatitude makes us think of purity and chastity; on the other hand, it means having an undivided heart. We cannot love both God and money. We cannot love God without loving our neighbor. We cannot pursue justice and righteousness if we have warped second intentions. We will not be righteous if we act like the Pharisees and put on a good external show for others, but inwardly are corrupt in our hearts.

3. Three Beatitudes of Peace: The last three beatitudes speak about being peacemakers in the world, suffering persecution for the sake of righteousness, and suffering insults and false accusations on account of Jesus. We find the supreme example of these beatitudes and every beatitude in Jesus. He worked tirelessly to bring about the ultimate reconciliation between God and humanity and the reconciliation of human beings with other human beings. And for this, he was persecuted, beaten, insulted, falsely accused, and crucified on the cross. Can Jesus’ followers and disciples expect anything different? In Jesus, we have the model of redemptive suffering. We can unite our sufferings to his, and this has a redemptive value. And this contributes greatly to building up peace in this world and storing up treasure in the world to come.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I thank you for the gift of the New Law and for the grace of the Holy Spirit to fulfill it. You truly have the words of eternal life and have marked out the path that leads to eternal beatitude. Help me to choose this path always in all that I do.

Living the Word of God: When I examine my conscience before the Sacrament of Reconciliation, do I limit my exam to the 10 Commandments? How can I examine my conscience in the light of the Beatitudes and the New Law: Am I poor in spirit? Merciful? Meek and pure of heart? A peacemaker? Just in my dealings with others? Generous in giving to the poor?

Rev. Dr. Dennis Klinzing

06/07/2026

Daily Reflection

June 7, 2026

Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a
Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
John 6:51-58

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world.”

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, in your love, you sent your Son as the living Bread come down from heaven. Nourish us with the Body and Blood of Christ, that we may abide in you and have eternal life. Through this heavenly gift, strengthen us to live each day in faith, hope, and charity.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena-Orvieto: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, traditionally called “Corpus Christi,” arose in the thirteenth century from a growing desire in the Church to honor more explicitly the mystery of Christ’s Eucharistic presence. Through the efforts of St. Juliana of Liège and the support of Pope Urban IV, the feast was extended to the universal Church in 1264. A decisive influence upon Urban IV was the Eucharistic miracle of Orvieto-Bolsena. According to tradition, a priest struggling with doubts about the Real Presence was celebrating Mass in Bolsena when the consecrated host began to bleed, staining the corporal. The relic was brought to nearby Orvieto, where Urban IV was residing, and the miracle strengthened faith in Christ truly present in the Eucharist — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Even today, the cathedral of Orvieto stands as a magnificent witness to the Church’s Eucharistic faith.

2. Word of God and Bread of Life: The readings for this solemnity draw us deeply into the mystery of divine nourishment. In Deuteronomy 8, Moses reminds Israel that God fed them with manna in the desert to teach them “that not by bread alone does one live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord.” Earthly bread sustains bodily life, but God desires to give a food, the Word of the Lord God, that grants eternal life. In the Gospel, Jesus reveals himself as that heavenly food, declaring with striking realism: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” The Eucharist is not merely symbolic nourishment or spiritual encouragement; it is communion with the living Christ himself. Paul deepens this mystery in 1 Corinthians 10 by teaching that “the cup of blessing that we bless” is a participation in the Blood of Christ, and “the bread that we break” is a participation in the Body of Christ. Through the Eucharist, believers are united not only to Christ but also to one another in the unity of his Mystical Body.

3. Thomas Aquinas and the Liturgy of Corpus Christi: The Church’s liturgy for Corpus Christi bears the unmistakable theological and poetic genius of St. Thomas Aquinas, whom Pope Urban IV commissioned to compose the texts for the feast. Among these treasures, the sequence “Lauda Sion” stands out as one of the most profound hymns ever written on the Eucharist. Aquinas weaves together theology, Scripture, and worship into a magnificent act of praise: “Ecce panis Angelorum, factus cibus viatorum” — “Behold the bread of angels, made the food of pilgrims.” The sequence proclaims both the sacrificial and sacramental dimensions of the Eucharist, teaching clearly the doctrine of Christ’s true presence while calling the faithful to adoration and wonder. In the Eucharist, the Old Testament types – the binding of Isaac as a willing victim, the shedding of the Paschal Lamb’s blood, the gift of manna in the desert – are all brought to fulfillment. In the sacred liturgy, theology becomes prayer and song. Corpus Christi, therefore, invites the Church not only to understand the Eucharist more deeply, but to adore Christ with greater love, recognizing in the Blessed Sacrament the foretaste of eternal communion with God.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, living Bread from heaven, you give us your flesh to eat and your blood to drink for the life of the world. Remain in us and draw us ever more deeply into communion with your Sacred Heart. May the Holy Eucharist transform us, so that we may live by you now and forever.

Living the Word of God: Do I seek the Lord each day as the true Bread of Life, trusting in him more than in worldly comforts or my own strength? Does my reception of the Eucharist lead me to greater charity, forgiveness, and unity with others as members of the one Body of Christ? How can I grow in reverence and love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament through prayer, adoration, and a more intentional participation at Mass?

Rev. Dr. Dennis Klinzing

06/06/2026

Daily Reflection

June 6, 2026

False Piety vs. True Piety

Mark 12:38-44

In the course of his teaching Jesus said,
“Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext,
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation.”
He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”

Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, you see not as human beings see, but you behold the heart in truth. Free us from all pride and the desire for human approval, and teach us to give you our whole selves. May our offerings, however small, be made in sincerity and pleasing in your sight.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Danger of Honors: Today, we conclude our daily reading of the Gospel of Mark. One of Mark’s goals in his Gospel is to focus on what it takes to be a disciple of Jesus. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus put his disciples on guard against seeking riches, pleasure, and power. He wants his disciples, especially the leaders of the Church, to be detached from earthly treasure, to be faithful to their spouses, and to exercise authority as humble servants. The lessons in Jerusalem continue these admonitions. First, Jesus cautions his disciples to “beware of the scribes.” And Jesus highlights two sinful actions. First, they use their position to seek earthly honors such as being called “rabbi,” which means “my great one.” They seek after the best places within the synagogue and outside the synagogue at banquets. Second, the scribes use their position for financial gain – they recite lengthy prayers, not to honor God and act as a priestly bridge between God and humanity, but to get money and exploit the poor. The leaders of the Church, Jesus knows, will be tempted like the scribes to use their position of authority for themselves.

2. The Widow’s Offering: The false piety of the scribes is contrasted with the true piety of the widow. Jesus observes how many wealthy people contribute large sums to the Temple treasury, but he draws special attention to a poor widow who contributes only two small coins. In human terms, her offering seems insignificant, yet in God’s eyes it is of immense value because it represents everything she has. Unlike the scribes, who give to be seen and honored, the widow gives quietly and without calculation, entrusting her entire life to God’s providence. Her act reveals that true worship is not measured by external abundance but by total, interior surrender. She becomes a living image of authentic discipleship, where love of God and neighbor outweighs all things.

3. True Greatness in the Kingdom of God: Jesus uses this moment to reveal a fundamental reversal in the logic of the Kingdom. What is admired by the world – status, celebrity, beauty, power, and surplus wealth – is not what God esteems. Instead, God looks upon the heart and values total trust in him, even when it appears fragile or hidden. The widow’s gift anticipates the self-gift of Christ himself, who will soon offer everything on the Cross without reserve. In this way, discipleship is shown not as a partial offering, but as a participation in Christ’s own total self-giving love. Those who follow Jesus are called to measure greatness not by what they retain for themselves, but by what they entrust to God.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you praised the humble widow who gave all she had, trusting entirely in God. Teach us to love you with undivided hearts, offering ourselves without reserve in faith and love. May we follow you in humble generosity, seeking treasure only in your kingdom.

Living the Word of God: Do I seek recognition or approval in my religious practice, or do I act out of genuine love for God alone? What “two small coins” in my life – my time, my resources, my talents – am I being invited to place more fully in God’s hands? How can I imitate the widow’s trust this week by making a concrete act of generosity, sacrifice, or hidden service?

Rev. Dr. Dennis Klinzing

06/05/2026

Daily Reflection

June 5, 2026

The Riddle about the Son of David

Mark 12:35-37

As Jesus was teaching in the temple area he said,
“How do the scribes claim that the Christ is the son of David?
David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said:
The Lord said to my lord,
‘Sit at my right hand
until I place your enemies under your feet.’
David himself calls him ‘lord;’
so how is he his son?”
The great crowd heard this with delight.

Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, you revealed that your Son, Jesus Christ, is both the Son of David and the eternal Lord seated at your right hand. Grant us the grace to recognize your Son with faith, reverence, and joyful obedience. May our hearts delight in his kingdom and proclaim his glory before the world.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Riddle about the Messiah: In the Gospel, Jesus has met the three challenges to his authority posed by the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Scribes, and answered each of their questions perfectly. The Pharisees needed to stop their emphasis on separation from the Gentiles and outright rejection of political authorities, the Sadducees needed to correct their understanding of the afterlife and have hope in the resurrection, and the scribes needed to return to the heart of God’s law and not get lost in arbitrary arguments about minutiae and lesser matters. Jesus has established his teaching authority, and now he sits, teaching in the temple area. He poses a question to the crowds about the Messiah and asks the people listening to ponder a riddle found in Psalm 110: “How is it that the Messiah is both ‘the son of David’ and yet also David’s Lord?”

2. The Messiah as David’s Lord: Jesus’ question about Psalm 110 reveals that the Messiah is greater than merely an earthly descendant of David. Many in Israel expected the Messiah to be a political ruler who would restore the kingdom of David and free the nation from foreign oppression. To elevate their thinking about the Messiah, Jesus points to David’s own words: “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand.” If David himself calls the Messiah “Lord,” then the Messiah must possess a dignity and authority greater than King David’s. Psalm 110 was widely regarded by ancient Jews as a messianic psalm, and Jesus uses it to lead his hearers beyond a merely political understanding of the Messiah. The Messiah is not only David’s son according to the flesh; he also shares in the authority and reign of God himself. By drawing attention to this mystery, Jesus begins to prepare the crowds to understand that the promised Messiah would establish not simply an earthly kingdom, but the everlasting Kingdom of God.

3. Jesus’ Messianic and Divine Identity: The Gospels tell us how Jesus identified himself as both the Messiah and the divine Son of God. He not only performed miraculous signs but also proposed riddles for the crowds to ponder. “Thus Jesus is using the question about the Messiah in Psalm 110 to reveal the mystery of his own divine identity. He is both a descendant of King David and the Lord of King David. He is both the long-awaited Messiah and the pre-existent Son of God. In other words, he is both human and divine. And he reveals all this without ever coming out and explicitly declaring, ‘I am the Messiah,’ or ‘I am David’s Lord,’ or ‘I existed from before the dawn of creation.’ Jesus uses the question about the Messiah in Psalm 110 just as he used the riddle about the Son of Man in Daniel 7 to reveal and conceal his messianic and divine identity – until the time was right” (Pitre, The Case for Jesus, 148). Jesus will be revealed as a king who reigns from the Cross and now sits enthroned at the right hand of the Father in power. Jesus is the royal Messiah who offers mercy, grace, wisdom, peace, and eternal life.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, Son of David and eternal Lord, you reign in power at the right hand of the Father. Teach me to listen to your word with a humble heart and to follow you with steadfast faith. May I rejoice in your victory and live each day under your loving kingship.

Living the Word of God: Do I truly recognize Jesus not only as a wise teacher or historical figure, but as the Lord who deserves my worship, obedience, and trust? Am I willing to place every area of my life under the loving kingship of Christ, even when it challenges my own plans or desires? How can I grow this week in listening more attentively to the words of Jesus through prayer, Sacred Scripture, and faithful discipleship?

Rev. Dr. Dennis Klinzing

06/04/2026

Daily Reflection

June 4, 2026

The Third Test of the New Solomon

Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I seek to know your will. I promise throughout the day to go to your Son and eagerly listen to his words so that I may know how to act. Pour out your Spirit into my heart to guide my actions.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Third Test: In the Gospel of Mark, the third dispute (Mark 12:28-34) is not explicitly called a test as it is in the Gospel of Matthew (22:35). The scribe seems to approach Jesus in sincerity and asks him a question about the 613 commandments contained in the Law of Moses (the Torah). One of the things the scribes, the scholars of the Law, often sought for in the Law was an overarching principle or first commandment that summarized and grounded all the other commandments (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 246). When asked by the scribe what he thought about this question, Jesus identified the commandment to love God with our entire being as the first and greatest commandment. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:4-5. This was the Israelite confession of faith, known as the Shema (“Hear”). “In fidelity to Deut 6:7 devout Jews recite the Shema every morning and evening. Jewish homes usually have a mezuzah, a little box containing the Shema inscribed on parchment, affixed to the doorpost (see Deut 6:9). Orthodox Jewish men (and sometimes women) wear tefillin (or phylacteries), leather boxes containing the Shema, on their head and hand during prayer (Deut 6:8)” (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 247). The Shema affirms that the Lord (YHWH) alone is God. As the creator of all things, God deserves all that we are in return.

2. Loving God and Loving Neighbor: Jesus does not stop with love for God as the first commandment, but announces the second greatest commandment and quotes Leviticus 19:18: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” To love is to will the good for someone. We are called to love others and will what is good for them just as we seek what is truly good for ourselves. Love of God and love of our brothers and sisters go together. As the First Letter of John teaches, we are liars if we say we love God but do not love our fellow human beings (1 John 4:20). The scribe saw that Jesus, the New Solomon, passed the third test. Jesus imparted true wisdom about the meaning of our earthly life (give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s) in the first test and the nature of our life after death (God is the God of the living) in the second test. He now teaches in the third test how love is at the center and foundation of everything.

3. Loving with an Undivided Heart: Jesus teaches us today that the Christian life is not primarily or principally about external obedience to rules, but about a total gift of ourselves to God in love. The commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength challenges us to examine whether God truly occupies the center of our lives. It is possible to practice religion outwardly while allowing our hearts to become divided by selfish ambition, distraction, resentment, or attachment to worldly things. Yet authentic love for God transforms every aspect of life — our thoughts, decisions, relationships, work, and use of time. At the same time, Jesus reminds us that love for God must overflow into concrete love for our neighbor, especially through patience, forgiveness, generosity, and concern for those who suffer. The saints show us that holiness consists above all in this twofold love. Each day, then, we should ask the Lord for the grace to love him more completely and to see his image in every person we encounter. The more we remain rooted in the love of God, the more our lives become a living reflection of the greatest commandment.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I do not want to be near your Kingdom. I want to be fully within the Kingdom. I want you to dwell and reign in me. I desire to be your apostle and bring you and your message of merciful love to the ends of the earth.

Living the Word of God: How am I loving God and loving my neighbor? List out the concrete ways you have loved God this past week. What moments did I spend with God in prayer? When did I reject temptation and choose to love? List out the concrete ways you have loved your neighbor this past week. Did I spend quality time with my spouse and family? Did I serve the poor in some way? Did I practice any corporal or spiritual works of mercy?

Rev. Dr. Dennis Klinzing

06/03/2026

Daily Reflection

The Second Test of the New Solomon

June 3, 2026

Mark 12:18-27

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,
came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying,
“Teacher, Moses wrote for us,
If someone's brother dies, leaving a wife but no child,
his brother must take the wife
and raise up descendants for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers.
The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants.
So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants,
and the third likewise.
And the seven left no descendants.
Last of all the woman also died.
At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be?
For all seven had been married to her.”
Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled
because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
When they rise from the dead,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but they are like the angels in heaven.
As for the dead being raised,
have you not read in the Book of Moses,
in the passage about the bush, how God told him,
I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob?
He is not God of the dead but of the living.
You are greatly misled.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I believe in your power to raise me to new life. I have already begun to experience your eternal life through Baptism. Teach me each day to share more deeply in your life, in the life of your Son, and in the life of the Spirit.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Sadducees and the Second Test: In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is demonstrating his authority as the Son of David and the New Solomon. He demonstrates divine wisdom and passes each of the tests put forth by the religious authorities. Yesterday, we read how the Pharisees and Herodians asked him a difficult question about earthly, political authority. Today, we read that the Sadducees ask Jesus a difficult question about marriage and eternal life. “The Sadducees were an elite and powerful party within Judaism, consisting of the priestly aristocracy, their families, and supporters. … They had more lenient religious views than the Pharisees, accepting only the Torah (not the Prophets or Psalms) as sacred Scripture, and rejecting traditions that had arisen more recently in Judaism, such as belief in angels, spirits, and the resurrection from the dead (see Acts 23:6-10)” (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 243).

2. Understanding the Power of God and the Scriptures: On the one hand, Jesus tells the Sadducees that their denial of the resurrection from the dead shows that they do not understand the almighty power of God. They are ignorant of the fact that God has the power to restore the dead to life and transform our existence. The Sadducees think that those who hold that there is life after death think that it is a continuation of earthly life. Jesus teaches them that our lives after death will be different. We will not become angels, since angels are pure spirits and do not have bodies, but we will be like the angels and enjoy a glorious and eternal existence. “With this answer Jesus affirms several points denied by the Sadducees: life after death, bodily resurrection, and the existence of angels” (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 244). On the other hand, the Sadducees, by denying life after death, do not understand the Scriptures. Although Jesus could have quoted passages from Wisdom or Maccabees that speak about our life after death, Jesus acquiesces to the fact that the Sadducees only accept the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and demonstrates the existence of life after death by quoting from the Book of Exodus. Jesus points out that when God reveals himself and his name to Moses, he reveals that he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This means that the three Patriarchs of Israel continue to have a relationship with God even after their death. The Lord is the God of the living and will bestow eternal life on the elect.

3. Living in the Light of the Resurrection: Jesus’ teaching about the resurrection calls us to live with our hearts fixed on eternal life rather than merely on earthly concerns. The Sadducees were so absorbed in the limits of this world that they could not imagine the new and glorious life that God desires to give his faithful ones. We can fall into the same temptation whenever we live only for worldly success, comfort, possessions, or recognition, forgetting that our true homeland is in heaven. Christ reminds us that God is “not God of the dead but of the living,” and therefore every aspect of our lives should be shaped by the hope of the resurrection. This hope gives us strength to persevere through suffering, to remain faithful in times of trial, and to seek holiness even when the world mocks or rejects it. By prayer, frequent reception of the sacraments, meditation on Sacred Scripture, and acts of charity, we begin even now to live the life of heaven on earth. The more we entrust ourselves to the power of God, the more we learn to live not merely for what passes away, but for the eternal communion with the living God for which we were created.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I do not want to be misled like the Sadducees. Expose the lies of the devil that I am living or have accepted. Correct my thinking. Grant me a true conversion of heart. I want to think as you do and see the world through your eyes.

Living the Word of God: How can I fix my heart on eternal life amid earthly concerns? When do I imitate the Sadducees and become absorbed with this world? How can I begin to live more like a citizen of heaven?

Rev. Dr. Dennis Klinzing

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Medina, NY
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