The Saducees to try trapping Jesus with an awkward question.

Whatever we may think of death, we still believe in the ‘God of the living’.

That – as he says in the Gospel – he is the “God of the living and not of the dead”.

The resurrection of the dead is nothing like anything we can imagine.

He loves us that God will never let go of us.

 St. Boniface, bishop & martyr

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12

From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus,

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Zephaniah 3:14-18a (or Romans 12:9-16)

Cry out with joy,

Pharisees and Herodians, conspired together to trap Jesus,

They said: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” .Should We Pay Taxes?

Should we pay our taxes?

If Jesus affirms Roman taxation, he will offend his followers.

If he rejects it, he will face charges of treason.

1st Reading: 2 Peter 3:12-15a, 17-18

As you wait for the day of God,

 Like Bartimaeus in today's gospel, I would long to open my eyes.

Bartimaeus truly exemplifies the disciple who sees where the way ahead leads

and yet follows and believes Jesus.

Jesus’ followers, blinded and broken as they are by grief and despair.

Like Bartimaeus, Jesus’ followers begin to ‘see’ once more.

1st Reading: 1 Peter 2:2-5, 9-12

Like newborn children,

The vineyard is God’s people Israel.

The owner is God. The tenants are Israel’s leaders.

The servants are the prophets. And the owner’s “beloved son” is Jesus.

The Romans captured Jerusalem and destroyed the temple.

The present evil age that God will destroy and replace with

a new world in which all things manifest God’s purposes . 

 St. Charles Lwanga and companions, martyrs

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

2 Peter 1:2-7

May grace and peace abound in you,

Jesus responds “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink,

or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”

He is speaking of a cup of suffering, not a cup of victory and triumph.

Jesus comes into his glory through the cross,

We seek not our own glory but His glory.

St. Paul VI, pope

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Peter 1:18-25

Remember, that you were freed from

 The tremendous blessing we have been given and continuously receive in the Body and Blood of Christ.

It is what feeds us, it is what unites us, and it is what will sustain us unto eternal life.

As he says in the Gospel. It sustains and nourishes us, just as it sustains, nourishes and brings the Church together.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Exodus 24:3-8

Moses came and told

 To be a Christian is to know and to follow Jesus.

‘You cannot serve God and wealth.’

“We have given up everything to follow you.”

The reward will be joy in this world and everlasting life hereafter.

While the cost of following Jesus is high, Jesus takes time to assure the disciples

that all who suffer loss in following Him

will receive back far more than they lose – both now and in the future.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Peter 1:10-16

This was the salvation for which

 Jesus was challenging the authority of the religious leadership, and they felt threatened,

so they decided to confront him. By what authority are you doing these things?

Jesus so confident of His own power and authority. It is because it emanates from Himself.

It is a power that is Personal and not derived.

St. Justin, martyr

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Jude 17, 20b-25

But, most beloved,

 “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus says he lacks one thing. He is to sell what he has and give it to the poor in order to obtain treasure in heaven.

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

then, as they ask, “Who can be saved?”

The rich have a bigger challenge than that faced by anyone else.

 St. Augustine of Canterbury, bishop

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Peter 1:3-9

Let us praise God,