Based on Luke 20:27-40
A Biblical Black Widow?
My first thought, after reading through today’s Gospel a few times was, “someone needs to investigate this woman! Seven husbands, all dying in succession! Isn’t anyone suspicious of this black widow?!” I’m not the only one to have such thoughts (see Tobit 3:8-9).
The Sadducees pose this seemingly impossible question to Jesus in order to trip Him up. They were trying to prove the absurdity of the concept of the resurrection from the dead. They did not believe in the resurrection. That’s why they were sad, you see…(sorry) Afterall, they think, if marriage is permanent and the resurrection is real, who’s wife would she be in the resurrection? The first, why? The last, why? All seven? Impossible!
Marriage: Temporarily Permanent
Jesus takes this opportunity to show them that marriage is for this life, not the next. In Heaven, we neither marry nor remarry. Why? The purpose of marriage, in this life, is twofold: for the good of spouses and the procreation and education of children (CCC 1601).
What is the good of spouses? The ultimate good is Heaven and that is role of being a spouse: helping the other toward Heaven!
Procreation and education of children: that, again is a temporal role, for this life. That is the role of being a parent: helping our children get to Heaven.
Oriented Toward Heaven
Everything in this life is oriented toward getting to Heaven. Once we are in Heaven, those roles are no longer relevant. All the souls destined for Heaven have their beginning in this life. Procreation and education do not exist in eternity. To put it another way, marriage is a temporarily permanent relationship with eternal consequences!
Temporarily permanent; this is where my weak human nature stumbles. I’ve always hated this Gospel passage because I cannot stand the thought of my wife marrying another man. I cannot even contemplate losing my wife and marrying another woman. The thought of either situation causes knots in my stomach.
Yet, if I truly am Heaven oriented and it’s God’s will, shouldn’t I want what is best for my spouse. If that means that she finds another pilgrim to help her on the pilgrimage after I am gone, shouldn’t I rejoice in God’s will? As I write this, I am certainly not rejoicing in the thought. Yet there is another sobering thought that comes to mind: I would rather her find 6 more husbands to help her toward Heaven than she not enter Heaven at all!!
In Heaven we will all rejoice in God’s love and plans, no matter how painful or disturbing the thought of it , or experience of it, may be for us at this moment. In Heaven, we will all be “married” to God. This marriage, this Wedding Feast of the Lamb, is where we will experience the ultimate good; God Himself. It is where education will no longer take place (my kids would rejoice at that statement) because we will see Him as He is and all things will be revealed!
Today, on this eve of the Solemnity of Christ the King, let us reorient our sights toward Heaven. Let us strive to help our spouse, children, relatives, co-workers, and enemies on the path toward eternal happiness. There we will see that it was all worth it and that our lives were vital chapters in most beautiful love story ever told!
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James M. Hahn, Author 