FRIDAY OF THE NINETEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME AUGUST 13, 2021

MASS READINGS:

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mt 19:3-12

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, 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, man must not separate.” They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” His disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

REFLECTION

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”

In the Old Testament, divorce was common. But Jesus took advantage of the question posed to entrap Him and He restated the essence and dignity of marriage. The points He made:

God created man and female.

God expected the man and female to leave their mother and father.

Be joined and the two become one.

With God joining together the husband and wife, no man should separate.

Whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage was unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.

Thus spoke the Lord. Marriage is forever and is an unbreakable union of two lives.

But what could make a marriage unlawful? Lack of commitment, wrong intentions or deep problems not made known before marriage, previous marriage, physically incapable to consummate a marriage, too young, forced into marriage, severe mental illness not made known before marriage and escaping an abusive home are some examples. (Catholic.com)

The intimacy of life and love was established by the Creator. Unfortunately there are many variations of marriage nowadays, all imposed by humans, and there are laws that discriminate against those who defend the sanctity of marriage as God designed it to be.

God, who is love, created man out of love. Man was created in the image and likeness of God who calls man to love. Marriage is a vocation or gift from God and therefore, it takes on a supernatural meaning. It is our duty to have mutual respect for our spouse, joy, concern for their needs and through conjugal love have a family.

We have a right to defend marriage: its sanctity. We must speak up when we see it portrayed in a perverse way, or scandalous behavior becomes the norm, or marriage is redefined by civic law.

But Jesus also affirms the gift of celibacy and virginity. This total complete surrender to God has the necessary grace to live a happy life: Committing to God alone an undivided heart.

Catholic Catechism of the Catholic Church 1601-1666

Catholic.com

God Bless You