The seven brothers and their mother in today’s reading faced their prosecutors without flinching, remaining loyal to their faith. Each brother is confident that forgiveness and resurrection will be theirs. Paul in the 2nd reading, also urged us to pray that we may be guarded from the evil one, that the Lord will give us strength to continue doing good. On the question of resurrection, Jesus countered the Sadducees, by saying that they have confused the present age with the future age. We believe in the resurrection, as we believe in being the children of God. Surely then, we should live as one with a God that is not dead but one living among us and within us! The Eucharist is a good reflection of the end of time – it would be like a banquet prepared for believers. It proclaims the exaltation of Jesus and his second coming, at the cost of his self-giving. To eat and drink with Jesus means to anticipate the future, one where we will be free of all earthly confusions, challenges, and sufferings.