God is not of the dead but of the living: Mary and the hope of resurrection

A Crença em um Deus Vivo: Mariologia e Escatologia

“There is no God of the dead, but of the living” (Mk 12,27): this statement by Jesus in the debate with the Sadducees is the theological foundation of Mariology and reveals a deep understanding of the divine nature and life after death.

O Argumento dos Saduceus e a Resposta de Jesus

The Sadducees, denying the resurrection, proposed a hypothetical scenario: a woman with seven successive brothers, in the resurrection, to whom would she be married? Jesus, in two movements, challenges their reasoning. First, He corrects the premise, affirming that resurrected life is not a continuation of earthly life but a radical transformation, similar to angels. Second, He uses their own Scripture which the Sadducees respect: God reveals Himself as the “God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob” (Ex 3,6), present, not past, confirming that life after death transcends the categories of time.

A Vida Ressuscitada e a Assunção de Maria

The phrase of Jesus in Mk 12,25, “when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven,” is a declaration about the nature of resurrected life that transcends marital categories. This statement finds its historical confirmation in the Assumption of Mary, dogmatically defined by Pius XII in 1950. Mary, living virginity as a permanent state, spiritually anticipates the resurrected life and, in the Assumption, fully realizes this anticipation corporally.

Comunhão dos Santos e Maria

The doctrine of the communion of saints is intrinsically linked to “Non est Deus mortuorum”. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, instead of having “died”, are in a living relationship with God, demonstrating that death is not the definitive end. Mary, at the heart of this communion, is the Mother and intercessor; her living presence beside the Risen Son transcends the boundaries of time.

Corrigindo Erros sobre a Morte

The conclusion of Jesus, “you are greatly mistaken” (Mk 12,27), highlights the gravity of denying the resurrection. Materialism, spiritualism, and nihilism are contemporary forms of this error. The Assumption of Mary serves as a powerful sign against these views, offering hope in overcoming death through the eternal life of the “God of the living”.

Conclusão Teológica

The feast of the Assumption, celebrated in August, is an eschatological reminder that ordinary time is not a forgetting by God but an opportunity to live faith with an eye toward the eternal horizon. Mary, assumed body and soul, is the most eloquent symbol that “God is not the God of the dead but of the living,” and her ascension is the promise of eternal life for all redeemed humanity.