27 November 2026 · Syro-Malabar Rite
Open in the Daily Word appAlso: Latin Rite · Syro-Malankara Rite · മലയാളം
“He is God not of the dead, but of the living.” Mark 12:27
The Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, try to ridicule it with the story of a woman married to seven brothers. Jesus answers that they know “neither the scriptures nor the power of God.” In the resurrection life is transformed; and God is “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”: “He is God not of the dead, but of the living.”
John sees the fulfilment: “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages,” robed in white with palm branches, crying: “Salvation belongs to our God… and to the Lamb!” On the last Friday of the year we look at the end of the story: the Church gathered in praise.
Theme: “The God of the living.”
Jesus defends the resurrection; John sees the great multitude before the Lamb.
“He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” Exodus 3:6
“And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.” Mark 12:26–27
Apply: Pray for your ancestors in faith.
“In days to come… all the nations shall stream to it.” Isaiah 2:2
“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.” Revelation 7:9
Apply: Pray for Christians of another nation today.
“For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations.” Malachi 1:11
“Singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”” Revelation 7:12
Apply: Sing a hymn of praise at family prayer tonight.
God is the God of the living; our hope is the resurrection.
The Church's end is eternal praise.
Take-home resolution: Pray the Creed slowly each day this week.
Dear friends, the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection, try to ridicule it with the story of a woman married to seven brothers. Jesus answers that they are wrong because they know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. In the resurrection life is transformed; and God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; he is God not of the dead but of the living (Mark 12:24–27).
The Book of Revelation shows us those living ones: a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands, crying out: salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb (Revelation 7:9–10).
In that multitude are our beloved dead, and generations of St Thomas Christians. Let us remember them today before the God of the living, and prepare our lives to join them in eternal praise. Amen.
Children, in heaven people from every country praise God together. Pray today for your grandparents or others who have died.
God of the living, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Strengthen our faith in the resurrection and gather us with the great multitude to praise you and the Lamb for ever. Amen.
As the liturgical year draws to its close, both readings look at the life beyond death. Revelation shows a great multitude from every nation worshipping before the throne and the Lamb. In Mark, Jesus answers those who deny the resurrection: God “is God not of the dead, but of the living”. The Church on earth already sings with the Church in heaven.
Setting.
Chapter 6 ends with a terrified question: when God’s judgment comes, “who is able to stand?” (6:17). Chapter 7 is the answer. First, John hears the number of those sealed from the twelve tribes of Israel, 144,000 (7:4–8), a number of fullness. Then he looks and sees a crowd beyond counting, from all nations. The people of God is complete, and it is universal.
Structure.
Key words.
Verse by verse.
“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.” (7:9)
God’s promise to Abraham of descendants as many as the stars (Genesis 15:5) comes true here, in every language.
“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (7:10)
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (7:12)
Seven words of praise, the number of fullness, framed by two Amens. Heaven is a liturgy.
How the Church reads it.
The Catechism lists those who take part in the heavenly liturgy described in Revelation, ending with “a great multitude which no one could number, from every nation” (CCC 1138). The Second Vatican Council teaches that in the liturgy we are united with the Church in heaven and join in its praise (Lumen Gentium 50).
Setting.
Jesus is in the Temple in Jerusalem in his last days, and various groups come to test him (11:27–12:37). The Sadducees were a priestly party linked to the Temple leadership. They rejected the oral traditions of the Pharisees and, as Mark says, denied the resurrection (see also Acts 23:8).
Their question rests on the law of levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5–10): if a man died childless, his brother was to marry the widow so that the dead man’s name would not be lost. They build an absurd case to make belief in the resurrection look foolish.
Structure.
Key words.
Verse by verse.
“Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?” (12:24)
“For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” (12:25)
“Like” angels, not turned into angels. Marriage belongs to this age, where life must be handed on; in the resurrection, death is no more and all love is taken up into God.
“He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong.” (12:27)
God spoke to Moses at the bush (Exodus 3:6) long after the patriarchs had died, and still called himself their God. A covenant with God is not broken by death.
How the Church reads it.
The Catechism quotes Jesus’ answer to the Sadducees as his firm teaching on the resurrection, and links faith in the resurrection to faith in God the Creator (CCC 993). Heaven is perfect life and communion of love with the Holy Trinity, the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed (CCC 1024).
Will husbands and wives know each other in heaven?
Jesus does not say that love ends, but that marriage as a way of handing on life belongs to this world. The Church teaches that heaven is the perfect communion of life and love with the Trinity, the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed (CCC 1024); there all true love is purified and fulfilled. Those who loved each other in God will not be strangers there.