P S A L M - Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
R: May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
1 Blessed are you who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways! 2 For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored. (R) 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; your children like olive plants around your table. (R) 4 Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord. 5 The Lord bless you from Zion may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. (R) 6 May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel! (R)
2nd READING - Hebrews 2:9-11
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is brought to perfection in us.
Mark 10:2-16
2 The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. 3 He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” 5But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” 10 In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” 13And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 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. 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 16 Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
In order to understand the context of the question, “Is it permissible for a husband to divorce his wife?” we need to understand certain rabbinic schools of thought. In particular there were two, Shammai and Hillel. The Shammai School was stricter in its interpretation. A sexual misconduct on the part of the woman allowed the man to write a bill of divorce. On the other hand, the Hillel mentioned “anything” objectionable on the part of the woman. She could even serve a dish not pleasing to her husband and that would qualify for divorce. The man’s word was final; women were simply required to leave, no questions asked. The Pharisees claimed that Moses permitted it (which is itself a false claim) by their own interpretation of Deuteronomy writings attributed to Moses. Jesus recalls the beginning that God made them male and female, one flesh united in marriage covenant. For a culture that saw divorce as normal, Jesus goes against the current trend.
In modern society, we sadly observe the erosion of the wonderful gift of marriage through divorce. This grieves the heart of God. Of course there are grounds for divorce, but we must adhere to the words of Jesus: one flesh plus one body equals no divorce. It’s a wonderful sight to witness aged couples still in love, even though the battle may have been tough and trying in times gone by. We need to pray for married couples to remain strong until death they do part. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL
Mark 10:2-16
2 The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. 3 He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” 5But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” 10 In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” 13And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 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. 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 16 Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
SABBATH
UNTIL DEATH DO US PART
Jesus was constantly observed by the ruling parties of the day, namely, the Pharisees and Sadducees. These religious people were always on the lookout for a way to destroy His reputation among the people and kill Him. They were well versed in Law and Scripture. However, their interpretations became rigid and literal. The Gospel today is one incident. Marriage was arranged between the groom and the bride’s father and a marriage contract would be executed. After a year, they were to live in the groom’s house. If the man found any unacceptable or objectionable behavior on the part of the woman, a writ of divorce was written.In order to understand the context of the question, “Is it permissible for a husband to divorce his wife?” we need to understand certain rabbinic schools of thought. In particular there were two, Shammai and Hillel. The Shammai School was stricter in its interpretation. A sexual misconduct on the part of the woman allowed the man to write a bill of divorce. On the other hand, the Hillel mentioned “anything” objectionable on the part of the woman. She could even serve a dish not pleasing to her husband and that would qualify for divorce. The man’s word was final; women were simply required to leave, no questions asked. The Pharisees claimed that Moses permitted it (which is itself a false claim) by their own interpretation of Deuteronomy writings attributed to Moses. Jesus recalls the beginning that God made them male and female, one flesh united in marriage covenant. For a culture that saw divorce as normal, Jesus goes against the current trend.
In modern society, we sadly observe the erosion of the wonderful gift of marriage through divorce. This grieves the heart of God. Of course there are grounds for divorce, but we must adhere to the words of Jesus: one flesh plus one body equals no divorce. It’s a wonderful sight to witness aged couples still in love, even though the battle may have been tough and trying in times gone by. We need to pray for married couples to remain strong until death they do part. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL
REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you believe in the grace of marriage? Pray for those discerning a call to married life and for couples who are experiencing the pain of separation.
Lord, I pray for all married couples. May they continue in the journey of faithfulness. Comfort those who are undergoing strain in their marriages. May they stay strong together. Amen.
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.
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