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Gospel Reflection 20061008

The Loving Hand of God’s ProvidenceOctober 8, 2006
prov‧i‧dence  /ˈprɒv ɪ dəns/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[prov-i-duh ns] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1.
(often initial capital letter ) the foreseeing care and guidance of God or nature over the creatures of the earth.

2.
(initial capital letter ) God, esp. when conceived as omnisciently directing the universe and the affairs of humankind with wise benevolence.

3.
a manifestation of divine care or direction.



Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mark 10:2-16The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate." In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
Introductory Prayer: As I humbly kneel in your presence, I place this day in your hands. I often try to guide events according to my own will and fancy. You see the results. I know I must become like a child before you.
Petition: Loving Father, help me to trust in you today.
1. Man Puts God to the Test. In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees put Christ to the test and call God’s plan into question. How brutally proud we can sometimes become in our relationship with God! Who are we to test God? The Book of Job reminds us that when we test God, it is we who end up being sifted like wheat: “Who is this that obscures divine plans with words of ignorance? Gird up your loins now, like a man; I will question you, and you tell me the answers” (Job 38:1-2)! We can only answer wisely by repeating Job’s response: “Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again; though twice, I will do so no more (Job 40: 4-5). Do I sometimes question God’s providence by complaining, “Lord, why do you make me suffer?”
2. Search for Deeper Knowledge. On the other hand, when a question is humble and desirous to learn, God reveals the truth with patience and love. We see this clearly in the stories of Zechariah and Mary, parallel accounts of a miraculous announcement (Cf. Luke 1:5-38). Let’s compare the two accounts. Zechariah, to whom it is revealed that his wife Elizabeth will bear the Precursor of the Lord, responds to God’s angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years” (Luke 1:18). Mary, in contrast, to whom it is revealed that she will bear the Messiah, sincerely asks: “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man” (Luke 1:34)? For asking these questions, Zechariah is struck dumb and Mary is granted the grace of virginal motherhood.
3. Becoming Like Children. What Jesus likes so much about children is their sincerity, simplicity and purity. Instead of doubting or questioning God’s providence, they joyfully accept everything with a simple trust. Do I have these same attitudes in my dealings with my heavenly Father? Have I learned to discover the loving hand of his providence in every event and circumstance of my life? Do I thank him for all of the graces he lavishes upon me every day? Perhaps we have a long path to walk before we achieve this spiritual childhood.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, today I want to be more humble by not setting myself up as a judge of your decisions, but by simply accepting all the circumstances you have permitted throughout my life. Please, take me by the hand. Walk with me throughout this journey and protect me from the enemies that might besiege me. I only want to be your child.
Resolution: I will stop and thank God at least once today for all of the graces I have received from his loving providence.
grace (gr s) Pronunciation Key n.

a. Divine love and protection bestowed freely on people.
b. The state of being protected or sanctified by the favor of God.
c.An excellence or power granted by God.


REFLECTION:

Jesus admits that Moses had allowed divorce under certain circumstances, but emphasizes that this was not the original intention of our Creator. He shifts their focus from the action of divorce to God’s fundamental objectives for marital unions. He strongly defends the family as God created it to be: a man and a woman committed to love one another and stay together until God calls them to Him; a man and a woman who will love and care for the children that result from their union. We were created in the image of God meaning that we possess the gifts of intellect and will. These gifts of intellect and will, freely given us by God, should always be geared toward living and acting according to God’s plans for us.

God’s plan for the family, and his purpose for its formation, have not changed since the original creation of the family unit with Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel. Once again, man has reinvented his own interpretation of God’s intent, or ignored it completely, thus giving him an excuse to be weak and indecisive when he should be strong and committed to his family. Our culture denies any reason for mankind to work hard at any relationship – whether with spouse or with God – that is going to make him exert extra effort and even suffer for it. We live in a culture that says we must “feel good” about ourselves, regardless of what our actions do to others. This is not what Jesus meant when He told us to “take up your cross daily and follow Me.”

It seems quite appropriate that His talk on divorce should be followed by his blessing of the children that parents brought to Him. Why were the disciples trying to keep them away from Jesus? Possibly they were doing it to protect Him from any would-be assassin among the adults. They knew his life was in danger. Possibly they recognized how tired He was from all his labors of talking and healing. It is also mentally tiring to be always on guard against those who were constantly trying to trick Him into saying things that could be used against Him. So, their intentions were most likely loving and good, no matter how misplaced they were.

Jesus did not want to be separated from the children. They knew joy and laughter because they were not weighted down with adult cares and doubts. He wanted them to be around Him where He could probably see the hope for the future in their eyes. They would be the next generation of ambassadors for accepting the Gospel with an open and trusting attitude. “The kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (verse 4) How often do we ourselves find a measure of peace in watching young children at play? Jesus shared every aspect of our humanity except sin, and that would include the moments of joy we find in a happy child.

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary TimeOctober 5, 2003
Homily Code: A-14
Sacred Scripture is the word of God, spoken lovingly to the human race. Because it is his word, we have always had the greatest respect for that sacred book. for centuries the Church would not even allow translations of the Bible into modern languages, fearful that in translation we would lose the precious nuances of meaning found in the historic languages in which it was written: Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. As late as the 20th century that same reverence for the Bible and that same concern for preserving the exact meaning of what God revealed to us caused the Church to forbid the use of what scholars call literary criticism. It would not allow scholars to examine the wording and structure of the Bible using the newly developed tools of research. Then, in 1943, there was a radical change. Pope Pius XII published his famous encyclical called, "Divino Afflante Spiritu", a document which for the first time permitted Catholic scholars to study the scriptures using the same kind of intellectual rules that are used in the study of other great world literature.
The result has been fascinating. As scholars track down through internal evidence more precise meanings of the different texts, sometimes that study almost approaches the drama of a detective story or the excitement of an explorer coming upon stretches of land never before seen by a human being. We find good examples of how scholarly research has enriched the Bible in today's first and third readings. Let me give you just two examples.
1. In Mark's gospel, which we just read, Jesus answered the question of the Pharisees about divorce by disagreeing with Moses, who permitted divorce. Jesus lays down the groundwork for His argument by quoting the description of creation from the book of Genesis and then concludes: "whoever divorces his wife commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, he commits adultery." The interesting question? Why did Jesus add the second part, about a woman getting a divorce? Under Jewish law a woman couldn't get a divorce. Then why did He say that? St. Matthew in his gospel records the same story but in his account there is nothing about a woman getting a divorce. Here is how scholars explain the discrepancy. Matthew was writing his gospel for the Jewish people. He probably wrote the story correctly because when Jesus was talking to the Jews He certainly wouldn't have talked to about a divorce that wasn't even possible. But Mark, on the other hand, the writer of today's gospel reading, was not writing for the Jews; he was writing his gospel for the gentiles who lived and worked under Roman law. Roman law did permit both men and women to file for divorce. So, Mark simply added the phrase on his own, as if to say, "if Jesus were living today and talking to the people for whom I am writing, knowing they follow the Roman law, this is the way He would have said it." But why bother adding the part about women getting a divorce? It is probably that Mark felt that if he had not added that phase, his readers would get the impression that Jesus was concerned only with the problems of men, when in fact Mark knew from personal experience that Jesus valued women so highly that e would never leave such and impression. So, Mark simply adds to the story a phrase that Jesus never uttered. Does that make the story invalid? Not at all! That is what a gospel writer is supposed to do : not just copy down events mechanically but to interpret the mind of Jesus. Gospel writers are not secretaries; they are more like ghost writers who know the mind of the chief so well that they can accurately interpret what he would want to say.
We hear a second interesting conclusion from the study of scholars. This one refers to our first reading from the book of Genesis. Genesis actually has two stories about creation and they are quite different. In the first story, man and women are created at the same time: "man and woman He created them." In the second story, God created Adam first, from the dust of the earth. Then He created , from the same dust, many animals. When none of the animals was found to be a suitable partner for Adam, God created Eve, not from dust but from Adam's rib.
In the social climate of the time Jesus lived a man was looked upon as more important that a woman. He could divorce, could marry several times, was excused if he committed adultery while the same offense led to a woman being stoned to death. If you look carefully at today's gospel, you will see that Jesus quotes from both accounts of Genesis. Scholars tell us that He did that to show that both accounts of creation insist on the equality of women. In account #1, woman is created at the same time as man, and so, is equal to him. In the second, even though Adam is created first, he can find no suitable partner until that partner is fashioned , not from the dust of the earth, but from the same substance as Adam -- from his rib. Jesus is correcting an abuse of the time. He affirms the value of women and because of that value, he says, no human person can be considered disposable. A man cannot cast off his wife: marriage is sacred . This, perhaps put too briefly, is the literary detective story of today's readings. It makes sense to me because all through his life Jesus affirmed the value of those whom society tended to ignore: the sick, the leper, the widow, the sinner, the tax collector, the thief and now he extends that same loving concern to the married woman.
And so, the fears about subjecting the Bible to literary criticism were unfounded. Look at the positive results: 1) the human contribution of each author is brought to light. 2) We find that many sayings of Jesus are based on a profound knowledge of the Old Testament. 3) We discover so much of the beauty of the teaching of Jesus that would never have been known had we not let scholars use the tools of their craft on the holiest of books and 4)finally, our faith is not shaken but make stronger by these studies. It all goes to prove the validity of an old saying, "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing." much knowledge is a great blessing."
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary TimeOctober 5, 2003
Homily Code: GG-8
Genesis 2:18-24Hebrews 2: 9-11Mark 10:2-16 Although this weekend might lend itself to having a married person to offer this homily, I would like to stand as a celibate priest to attest to the importance of marriage and the hope that committed married love brings to me.
It is unmistakable in the scriptures this weekend that God wants us to be able to experience faithfulness and love. Not the kind that comes and goes but the steadfast and unfailing love that looks and feels like God. In order for us to have that in our lives, there must be those among us who take the invitation to be one forever. Those faithful married persons become for all of us a constant reminder that God is faithful and true. We can read again and again that God has become flesh and dwells among us, but if we don't see that lived out then the word loses some of its power. Faithful and loving married persons bear the presence of God to all of us. They, in their free choice to love each other every day of their lives, put flesh and bones on the word of God. The accusatory verses of Mark's gospel might be able to scare some people into staying married but the true choice to live out love forever is made daily and forever by each party of the marriage. It has sacrifice and self-surrender as its foremost characteristic.
Can you picture the couple who has been the most Godlike for you? They are not perfect, are they? They do not always have their lives figured out, do they? They are not always together, are they? They each have their own faults and failings, don't they? What you probably remember are the times when you saw them stand strong for each other, especially when the other was weak. You probably remember how you saw them be generous even when times were tough for them. You remember the glimpses of love that you saw them exchange during the sign of peace or when they knew that their partner truly understood. You remember when they reminded you of God.
Lest we put all the weight on married people this weekend, the scriptures remind us again that those who are married lead the way for all of us in attesting to God's presence among. Even those of us who are ordained, those in religious profession, those of us who are single, widowed or divorced are called to put flesh and bones on the word of God. Although the bible tells us that a married couple embracing their sacrament is the closest thing we will see to God's love for the people, all of us, married or not, can mirror that love to each other and to the world. We have choices to be faithful or not. Our choices reflect the chastity of our hearts, whether we are married or not. Each of us can choose for or against our oneness with each other and with all of God's creation.
As God has said to us, and as a married couple says to each other and as all of us say to the world, We take each other for the rest of our lives, to have and to hold, from this day forward until death do us part. For richer and for poorer, for better or worse, in sickness and in health. Have we been faithful to each other as we ask married persons to be to each other?
Who is there in your life whom you have let go of because his or her poverty is too overwhelming? Is there anyone in your life, friend or stranger, who has so revolted you by their "worse" that you simply cannot love them anymore? Some people are really sick and act in really sick ways. Has anyone's sickness made it almost impossible for you to love them? Adultery and infidelity is that act of choosing against our oneness with each other. Thank you to the married couples among us who continue to remind us of what we are all constantly called to. We are one. Forever and Forever.
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary TimeOctober 5, 2003
Homily Code: BB-124
(To see a Spanish translation of this homily, click here.)
Saint Mark tells us, in the Gospel Reading today, that the Pharisees came up to Jesus and asked him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” We all know, because the Scriptures tell us, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church also tells us, that a person who divorces his or her spouse and marries again commits adultery. And the person who marries a divorced person, even though he or she has never been married, also commits adultery. God does not permit divorces. And that is why the Church cannot accept it.
The dignity of marriage is something basic, not only for the married couple, but also for families, children, and above all, for society itself. Because of this, it is very important for us to know the person who will be our spouse for the rest of our lives. Many people think that divorce is the way to patch up their lives. And they justify this thinking to themselves by saying, “I have a right to begin my life anew.” But divorce is not a solution for Catholics. It is true that our Church does permit separation of spouses if married life has reached a point where living together has become impossible but marriage, itself, remains sacred. God himself, at the beginning of all creation, created marriage. And Jesus Christ elevated it to the dignity of a sacrament.
To have a good marriage, the first thing for the couple to do is to be with God. Many marriages fail because the couple only goes to Church while they are going through the pre-marriage classes and on the day of their wedding. Their preparation for marriage is like the soap operas on television, on the spur of the moment and for frivolous reasons, thinking only of vanity. Some even say, “I shouldn’t worry. If this doesn’t work out I can get a divorce and begin anew with another spouse.” Some go into marriage for selfish reasons. These are all causes for the failure of many of the marriages that should never have been celebrated. Because of this, it is very important for people to get married responsibly.
Divorced couples who have remarried with other people should know, and we should also know so that we can explain it if necessary, that they cannot receive Holy Communion. And they should not fault the Church or God for this since they have excluded themselves from receiving Holy Communion by living in a situation of public and permanent sin. How can people who have remarried, lending a deaf ear to God’s commandments, want to continue receiving God in Holy Communion?
We, as Christians, believe that God created marriage for the continuation of humanity and for the good of the married couple. It is very important for God to be the basis of all marriages. The Christian family that turns its back on God will almost always end up badly. When married love is not based on love of God, married life can be transformed into a selfish life. In a truly Christian marriage the spouses take care and support each other. Sometimes a kind word with a smile is all it takes to cheer up those who surround us. Marital happiness does not consist in having a lot of money but in having a lot of mutual respect and love. Christian marriage is a sign of the love and the unity of Jesus Christ with us and with his Church. Christ’s faithfulness, confirmed in his death for us on the Cross, should be the model for spouses who remain united, “until death separates them.”
Let us also remember to day, Respect Life Sunday, that children are gift of God and the precious fruit of marriage. The married couple should cooperate with God in the transmission of life: natural life as well as supernatural life. In their children, parents should see a reflection of their own love and their unity in marriage. They should always remember that each child is unique and that their children are always their children, no matter what. The grace of the Holy Spirit that they receive in the Sacrament of Matrimony, makes it possible for the married couple to fulfill the true purposes of marriage: love and mutual aid, the procreation and education of children.
Let us pray to the Lord so that he will shower his grace on married couples so that they may always be feel the joy of his love.
27th Sunday in Ordinary TimeOctober 8, 2000
Homily Code: X-4
The central theme in today’s 1st reading and the gospel is marriage. Marriage is the foundation of human development, the basis of the family and the cornerstone of Judeo and Christian life. After creating the earth, animals and man God said, “It is not good for man to be alone”. So, He created woman from the rib of the man.
When Adam observed Eve he said of her, “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” Created by God this woman was meant to be his partner for life.
The description of their relationship is interesting. Adam just doesn’t tolerate his wife, he doesn’t just love her but he “clings” to her. That word is used only when something we possess is extremely valuable to us or it is essential for our safety or existence.
Because the recent statistics on marriage would seem to indicate that fifty percent of the marriages in his 21st century may end in a divorce, it is important that we consider why he Father and Jesus considers these unions so important. It’s because to have a successful marriage, a man and a woman must both leave their mothers and fathers and cling to each other. In a sense, it is a situation that is very similar to that of Jesus Himself, who left His Father for the sake of coming to our world to redeem us.
Sacrifice was the motive for Jesus” coming to earth and sacrifice us the binding basis of marriage. Two people come together and spend the rest of their lives adjusting to each other and they are willing to make sacrifices to satisfy the needs of one another. With God’s help the union becomes the basis for the joys of sharing the goal of reaching eternal salvation.
Is marriage the only method of achieving this goal? Not at all! For many the single life can be just as rewarding but, in today’s readings, we see that marriage is a unique blending of two individual lives. However, it requires the same sense of sacrifice that Jesus brought to us when He fulfilled His Father’s charge of redeeming a fallen society.
Marriage is built on love. However, it’s not only a romantic love. One set of readings that many couples chose for the wedding Mass are the readings from St. Paul. We are all familiar with the words, “love is kind, love is gentle, etc.” Well, for those who are married those words sound great on the wedding day but, often, as two people live together, they learn that true love is not just the words spoken at the nuptual elebration. Love is not only an emotion. Love is also a decision. The emotion doesn’t ecome the reality of love until both parties personalize the words. A wife will be kind to her husband ... the husband will be gentle with his wife. The words are not as mportant in a marriage as the decision each party makes to put the words into action. That requires sacrifice of one’s ego and a sacrifice of owns own selfish requirements.
That’s what Jesus did. He came into this world for the express purpose of sacrificing Himself for our salvation. A successful marriage is one in which each party is determined to meet the needs of their spouse. But there’s a problem. God played a little trick on the two sexes. The needs of a woman are not the same as the needs of a man and, therefore, it does take a conscious decision of the part of each individual to fulfill the needs of one another.
Have you ever heard a wife or a husband say, “Sometimes, I don’t understand my spouse.” That’s a perfectly natural observation because the two individuals are very, very different. They have different needs, not because they are selfish but because that’s the way God created them. And, as Jesus met our needs by sacrificing Himself, so also a wife and a husband enhance their own happiness by meeting the needs of their spouse.
The woman God created needs affection. The man, however, has needs that are more physical. A woman needs conversation. She needs a spouse that will communicate with her so that she knows what he is thinking and what he is doing. Has any husband here this morning ever commented, “Women sure like to talk!” Yes, they do and it’s important that husbands realize that and satisfy this need.
Men, though, are more private because for the first few thousand years of this society they were charged with the task of providing the food, the shelter and the defense of the family. They left the home and mingled with other men while their wives remained at home and cared for the family. In our lifetime that has changed. However, the needs of each party come from God and they have not changed so it can frustrating at times for both sexes to understand the other.
Women need security, men need praise. Women need a man who can be a strong, moral model for their children. Men need a woman who will be his wife but also his companion. Because God created the two sexes with different needs, He also gave both men and women the strength to fulfill the needs of one another.
There really isn’t an option. The Pharisees tested Jesus when they asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” Jesus answer was an emphatic “No.” The statistics indicate that many couples in our modern society pay little heed to His words but the sorrow and pain of a divorce and the negative effect it can have on the children is a stark reality that Jesus was right. Happiness comes with two people “cling” to each other.
This is why Christ is the model for a successful marriage even though He, Himself, never married. His life was dedicated to guiding us to eternal salvation. He made sacrifices willingly, even though at times He admitted He did not look forward to fulfilling the requirements His Father had chosen for Him. The script written after the fall of man didn’t have to include death on a cross but He made the decision to fulfill His obligation in the Garden of Gethsemene when He said, “Not My will but Thine be done.”
His love for us required He make the decision to be crucified. Married love requires that same decision of each party as they recognize, “My spouse has different needs than I but I will make the decision to willingly meet those needs.” If only one party accepts that responsibility, there can be problems. That’s why couples should pray for the courage to follow His lead and really understand, “Not my will but thine be done.” As husbands and wives come to receive His body and blood today, let that be your prayer.
27th Sunday in Ordinary TimeOctober 8, 2000
Homily Code: R-3
In today's readings God speaks to us about the vocation of married life. And how important it is for us to listen to what the Lord has to say to us. We live in a time when marriage seems to be in crisis and under attack from many directions. Statistical studies show that of all the marriages that will be entered-into this very weekend, about one half of them will end in failure. But look around you here.We come together today, as we do every Sunday, to ask thank God for his many blessings, and to ask his help to live faithfully as followers of Christ. We come here as families -married persons - children, and friends. Most of us here this morning have been called, or will be called, to the married state. Marriage can be one of the greatest blessings God can give to a man and a woman. Marrying well can also be a difficult challenge.In our first reading from the book of Genesis we see that God ordained marriage from the beginning. The "institution" of matrimony is not a mere human invention. Our Creator gave it to us, and he embedded it in our nature. Marriage is the natural means by which two human beings find lifelong companionship, happiness, and love. And as they begin a new family, their marriage is also the means through which God brings new life into the world. Marriage and family are intimately united from the start. The expressions of married love, and the creation of new life, are inseparable.If we consider the historical time and the culture in which that reading from Genesis came to be written down, we might note that the sacred writer was far ahead of his time. He speaks of woman not as property, not as slave, but as "a suitable companion." In saying that man and woman become one flesh, the author is not speaking only of physical union. No, in the Hebrew understanding, "flesh" means the entire person. And so marriage is indeed the unity of two persons in their totality. At that time, this must have been a challenging and groundbreaking teaching. Through these very ideas, God moved his primitive Chosen community a bit closer to the ideal of mutual love and respect of woman and man for one another. Genesis teaches us that from the beginning of creation, while they lived in the Garden of Eden, the union of man and woman was ordained by God, and blessed by God. And as the Catholic wedding liturgy states, marriage was the one great gift of paradise that was not lost by original sin. In today's gospel reading we hear Jesus quote from this same passage from Genesis. He uses the example of our first parents' marriage to underscore his own challenging and radical teaching: that of the indissolubility of marriage. Like so many of his other teachings, Jesus builds upon the foundation of Moses and the Old Law, and then gives "a new commandment" which goes beyond and perfects the first. For example, where Moses said, "love your neighbor," (meaning your countryman) Jesus says to us, "love your enemies!" Or in another place, "You have heard it said, 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," but Jesus says to us, "offer no resistance to the evil man." "If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn and offer him the other as well." In all of these examples, Jesus calls his followers to "go beyond" the Old Law, and put on a new attitude, a new and challenging goal: to live and love as he himself did. In the same way, he calls his people to put on a new attitude toward marriage and family. He wants to take marriage to a new and better level. To assist his followers, Jesus raises natural human marriage to the level of a sacrament, giving it an eternal and supernatural dimension, and the permanence God intended from the start.
We know that Sacraments are outward signs that give us grace. Through simple physical things like water, or bread and wine, or oil, the presence and power of God come upon us. In the same way, Christian marriage itself is a sacrament, for it takes a natural institution like marriage - a married man and woman - and through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, they become instruments of God's presence and abundant grace. The Christian husband and wife become for one another a special, sacramental way to come closer to God. They also serve as a sign for all of us. It was St. Paul who said that Christ's love for his Church is reflected in the married love of two Christian believers. Just as Christ gave himself -- by giving up even his life for each one of us, and for all of us, -- so, too, married persons in our community are called to reflect that same selfless, Christ-like gift to each other. In your love for one another you will mirror God's love for you, and for all of us. In laying you life down for one another, you reflect the love of Christ who laid his life down for you. Self-sacrifice is no small thing. It is difficult, often irksome. And yet with love as the motivation, self-sacrifice can become a joy.None of us is perfect. We all fall short of the ideal of living as Jesus lived. Jesus is patient, kind, and quick to forgive. We can become impatient, selfish, discouraged. We say "no" to God and to one another. But with Christ, it is never yes or no, it's always yes. Today as we recall God's great gift of Christian marriage, think over your marriage promises, your vows. On your wedding day you made a covenant that is a three-way partnership. It is not just a woman and a man: it is a man, and a woman, and Jesus Christ. Christ, the one who is always loving, is always faithful, always there for each of you, will fill up what is lacking in each of you, will heal what is hurt and broken, will strengthen what is weak. He gives married people the sacramental graces they need to live faithfully and happily. The couple no longer need rely only on each other: they can turn to Jesus in their needs. He is the one who can help people today beat the odds, and have a successful and happy marriage.Perhaps there are some persons here who are suffering the pain and hurt of a failed relationship. Please know that the Church is eager to help you to heal that pain, and has many resources at its disposal which might benefit you. If you, or someone you care about, is in this situation, please do not hesitate to ask for assistance in dealing with this difficult problem. Allow Christ to touch you with healing, consolation and forgiveness through the ministry of the Church. And those of you who are widows and widowers, the church joins you in your pain, but also in yourgratitude for the sacramental sign you found in your spouse.So my brothers and sisters-- whether you are newly married, or your Golden Jubilee was some years ago-- in all the events of your married life, call upon Jesus for help. Keep him at the center of your married life, and actively look for ways to make that happen. Rely on the Christian Community to support you in your commitment. Can you spend time in prayer together, even briefly, every day? Can you make time in your busy workweek to share one weekday Mass together? Can we let him nourish us with his word, and through his Holy Presence in the BlessedSacrament.Let's conclude by offering a prayer for all married people who are here today, and for all married couples. May you find true happiness as you walk this journey together. May you recognize the face of Jesus in each other. May you find the forgiveness of Jesus in one another. May you experience the self-sacrificing love of Jesus in one another. May you grow every day in your knowledge and love of God, and one another. May you help one another to become more holy, day by day, now and always.


Sunday 27 (B-2006): In the Beginning It Was Not So
Mark 10: 2-12

You will note in today’s Gospel how Jesus refused to be drawn into any argument about the when’s and wherefores of divorce.
Divorce should not be seen primarily in terms of the often painful circumstances which give rise to it (although it should be recognized that not every divorce is motivated by pain, but sometimes by convenience, greed and even lust).
To focus only on the pain is all too tempting because of the quality and quantity of suffering involved.
People can, understandably, be consumed by their pain.
But it can easily lead to losing sight of the full truth.
Jesus did not address pain, greed or anything else. Instead, he did two things.
First, he blamed divorce on the hardness of the human heart.
Second, he shifted the focus back away from Moses to God’s original plan and purpose for marriage.
What does “hardness of heart” mean?
It means a stubborn closedness to the will of God. It’s like cement which has set in the wrong position.
What, then, is the right position?
It is, as Jesus says, what God established “in the beginning”!
And what is that? The two become one; they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Divorce obscures the plan of God for man and for woman. It claims to put asunder what God has joined.

What Jesus is therefore saying is that the married must first of all and always consider anything between them in the light of the will of God.
This includes all that is necessary to nurture, preserve and strengthen their union.
It also has to mean the patient work of dissolving any hardness of heart towards God and one another.
Unfortunately, our Western culture favors hardness of heart. From the time of the Enlightenment, when reason and freedom “dethroned” God as the measure of virtue, our culture has led to a strident individualism.
It exaggerates the notion of self-realization, of my rights, my freedoms, doing what I like with my life. All of these things are, of course, good when taken in the right perspective and balance.
But under the influence of the drug of individualism, men and women can become defensive and aggressive, jealous of their time, money and career.
Self-sacrifice, giving way, forgiving the other: these are all dismissed as signs of weakness today, when in fact they are essential to any love we are to call true.

Catholic marriages in particular need to be lived from the perspective of faith, hope and charity.
Faith in the power of God’s grace poured into their hearts by all the sacraments, especially that of matrimony itself.
They need to read the light and dark of their relationship not in terms of Hollywood or Wall Street values, but from the perspective of God’s plan for them.
That can’t realistically be done if they do not cultivate an atmosphere of prayer and openness to God in their home.
If Sunday Mass is not the top priority of their week, how can they expect to keep their hearts from hardening?
If regular confession to strengthen them in their fight against selfishness is not practiced, how can they expect to resist the fascination of evil, however plausible it may be?
Likewise, Christian hope is a virtue to be prayed for and practiced.
It is not a naïve optimism, but an unflappable trust that the Lord who conquered death itself will see them through any pain or suffering, doubt or trial.
Above all, it is divine charity which will give renewed freshness and inspiration to their marriage.
Charity is not some wishy-washy walkover.
Charity is that power of love with which Christ conquered death itself.
Charity is the breath of God in the heart and on the lips of the married.
If asked for and practiced, it will confer an invincible strength to any marriage.

In the face of all this, divorce is a very sad reality.
The Church condemns no-one, despite the harsh criticisms often launched at her by those who reject her teachings. Love for the sinner and hatred for the sin remains central to her mission, as it was central to that of her Founder.
Situations can and do arise in which the physical separation of spouses is necessary.
But reconciliation has then to be the plan ahead. And if that is not possible, and if civil questions like the custody of children must be resolved, then divorce can be tolerated as a last resort.
But divorce can never break a marriage bond which has been validly contracted.
What do I mean by “validly contracted”?
I mean that the original consent of the couple was not in any way impaired.
In other words, the “I do” in marriage has to mean, for both parties, at least a minimal understanding and acceptance of the rights and duties of this new state of life.
Otherwise, the “I do” is not sufficient and therefore, despite the ceremony, the marriage bond itself is not established.
There can also be external factors which invalidate the “I do”: for example, marrying out of fear, or out of false pretexts like getting citizenship or intending to divorce so as to make money.
If, at the request of one or both parties, it can be proven that the original “I do” was inadequate or forced, then the Church (and the State, too, according to its own rules) can declare that the marriage bond never existed in the first place.
This is what annulment means. “Null and void” means inexistent to start with.
This is very different from divorce. Divorce claims, not that the bond never existed, but that civil law can actually break it.
This is why God, and therefore the Church, prohibits divorce.
Divorce would put asunder what God has joined, provided, I repeat, that the marriage was valid to begin with.

Why is God so opposed to the divorce that would claim to break the marriage bond?
Because the valid union between man and woman is intended by God to be the sign of his eternal commitment to humanity, through thick and thin.
That commitment was sealed in the blood of Christ, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant, covenant being another word for marriage, the real Marriage.
What do I mean by the “real Marriage”? I mean the “one flesh” of God and humanity. And what is that flesh? It is Jesus Christ himself in whom God and humanity are one flesh.
Divorce would be a sign that sin is greater than Christ’s blood, that somehow Christ would “take back” his suffering and death, his love and life.
Divorce contradicts the covenant and is a counter-sign which says that love cannot be total.
But if love cannot at least promise to be total, then it cannot be at all.
The divorce of the validly married contradicts faith and faithfulness because it hands victory to doubt and infidelity.
That same divorce contradicts hope, because it hands victory to the despair of forgiveness and reconciliation.
It enshrines hardness of heart and exalts the broken heart as the symbol of humanity.

One last word. I am, I hope, not heartless. I know marriage is not a cakewalk; neither is priesthood. I know very well that painful and even violent breakdowns of marriages do exist.
They deserve our best efforts of compassion, care and assistance.
But we cannot be faithful to Christ and to the truth of his sacrifice for us if we consider divorce as something natural or praiseworthy, or bless second “marriages” when the first ones are valid.
When a marriage is valid, and one’s spouse is still alive, a second so-called “marriage”, in the very blunt words of Jesus, is adultery.
It is not only adulterous with regard to one’s spouse, but also with regard to God himself for it is with God that faith has been broken. That is why, in adultery, it makes no sense to receive Holy Communion, the sacrament par excellence of the “one flesh.”
Our efforts must not be spent on applauding what is displeasing to God, but on working as individuals, couples, parish, society and state to develop policies, laws and services which support and strengthen marriage and the family.
I thank God for the shining example of faithfulness of so many of you.
The Lord invites you to be protagonists of a new ethic, of a revival of healthy and holy marriages in the Church and in society.
Please, humbly, let your light shine for others so that, through you, the divine Bridegroom may heal the broken hearts and fragile marriages of our day.
Herein lies nothing less than the key to the renewal of the Church and of the world.

Msgr. Peter Magee
October 8th, 2006
Annunciation, DC: 10.00 am

posted by Mike Young @ 6:05 AM