27th Sunday in Ordinary Time B. October 6, 2024
Genesis 2:18-24; Hebrews
2:9-11; Mark 10: 2-16
Theme:
Oneness and Indissolubility in the Sacrament of Marriage
Today’s
Scripture readings deal with Oneness and Indissolubility in the sacrament of Marriage.
The Gospel and first readings say that God created a man and a woman not to be
two but one flesh, and no human being must separate what God has joined
together. Love, like that of Jesus described in our second reading, makes this indissolubility
and oneness possible.
The
context of our Gospel comes from a serious debate among the Pharisees
concerning the reasons that justified divorce. Some schools (like the school of
Shammai) were very restrictive and allowed divorce only for some grave reasons.
While other schools (like the school of Hillel) permitted divorce for any reason
whatsoever[1]. In our Gospel text, the
Pharisees approached Jesus with this topic, testing him to see which point of
view he would support. This Gospel story comes immediately after Jesus' strong
teachings about the Temptation to Sin and the Simile of Salt. (9:42-50). It is
followed by the story of the Rich Man who questioned Jesus to find out what he
could do to inherit eternal life (10:17-31).
Our
Gospel text is a narrative story. It can be structured into three parts. The
first part is the dialogue between Jesus and the Pharisees on marriage and divorce.
(vv. 1-9). The second part recounts the private dialogue between Jesus and his disciples
in the house. They again discuss the same topic of divorce (vv. 10-12). In the third
part, the dialogue shifts. It is now between Jesus and all people. The topic is
the children and the kingdom of God (vv. 13-16).
The
first part of our Gospel passage begins with the setting that the lectionary
has omitted. Jesus and his disciples left Capernaum (Cf. 9:33) and went into
the district of Judea across the Jordan. He taught the crowds who gathered around
him (v. 1). Then, the Pharisees test Jesus with a question about marriage and divorce:
“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” (v. 2). Note that in the law
of Moses, divorce is permitted: “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of
divorce and dismiss her.” Jesus recognizes this Mosaic law but tells them that
it was because of the hardness of their hearts Moses wrote that commandment for
them. He then teaches them and all of us today to consider marriage at its
sacramental level. He refers to the story of the creation of the first
ancestors, Adam and Eve, in the book of Genesis, which we heard in our first
reading, to teach them the primary nature of marriage in God’s vision. He emphasizes
two characteristics of marriage: Oneness and indissolubility. By stressing that
God willed that the male shall leave his parents’ house to join his wife, and together,
they become not two but one flesh (see Gn 2:24; Mk 10:6-8,) Jesus emphasizes “oneness”
as the first characteristic of marriage. Jesus expresses the “Indissolubility of
the sacrament of marriage in his concluding words, “What God has joined
together, no human being must separate” (see Mk 10:9). Here, he demonstrates that
God did not envisage divorce when he created Adam and Eve. He created them to
be one flesh and to live this oneness for good. So, in the sacrament of marriage,
husband and wife become one flesh and are called to live this oneness until they
die.
God
created us to be in a perfect relationship with him and each other. The book of
Genesis tells the stories (such as Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, the account of
Noah and the Tower of Babel) to show us, on the one hand, how human beings
failed to preserve this oneness through sins, and on the other hand, how God
continuously came to their rescue. Today, we still fail to maintain our oneness
with God in different ways, but God is always there to rescue us. Thus, when
one man and one woman decide to live together in the sacrament of marriage,
they resolve to live the oneness and love of the first creation. They accept to
make visible the invisible love with which God loves his people. However, we
know from experience that not all marriages reflect this ideal. For some reason,
some marriages do not last. In the same way, when we receive baptism, we aim to
live our relationship with God and others as in the first creation. But for
some reason, we break this commitment. Note that the focus of Jesus in our
Gospel story is not on “why the people divorce or why we sin” but on our effort
to try to live our relationship with God as in the first creation. In other
words, our everyday task as Christians (married couples, divorced, and single
people) is to regain the primary nature God created us with.
The
second part of our Gospel (vv. 10-12) recounts the private dialogue between
Jesus and his disciples on this same topic. After he finishes dealing with the
Pharisees, they return home. While in the house, the disciples question him about
the same topic for further clarification. In his response, Jesus develops the indissolubility
character of marriage. He says that whoever divorces his spouse and marries
another commits adultery. Why does he or she commit adultery while he/she has already
separated from his/her previous spouse before he/she started a new relationship
with a new one? Note that for sexual intercourse to be considered adultery, it
must be between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse. So,
in his response, Jesus affirms that divorce does not occur in the separation of
spouses because valid marriage as a sacrament is indissoluble. That is why the
Church teaches that whoever separates from his/her spouse remains legally and
sacramentally married. He or she cannot contract another marriage unless the Church
tribunal, after critical investigation, proves the invalidity of the
sacramentality of the marriage and grants the couples “annulment.”
The
third part of our Gospel story (vv. 13-16) shifts the dialogue. Jesus now
addresses all people. The topic is children and the kingdom of heaven. They are
in one house (cf. v.10). The narrator says nothing about whom the house belongs.
He reports that people brought their children so that Jesus could touch them.
In this context, “to touch them” means to bless them. The disciples rebuked them.
It is unclear if “them” represents children or parents or all parents and
children. A couple of reasons can justify why the disciples acted like that. Perhaps
the children were making noises, or parents created traffic in precipitating to
get their children in the first line, causing discomfort in the house. It
is a natural reflex for the disciples to rebuke them. We can imagine the noises
and shouting the children bring in here. We act like these disciples when our
youth make noises during Masses. Let us see Jesus’ reaction. Jesus takes this
advantage to teach his listeners and us two crucial lessons concerning the
children and the kingdom of heaven.
First,
he asks his disciples and us not to prevent the children because “the kingdom
of God belongs to such as these.” Should we not rebuke the children even when
they disturb the liturgy of Masses? In one of the churches I pastored, there
was a scenario involving two ladies. They were in severe conflict because the
first lady wanted the second not to bring her grandchildren to Sunday Masses
any longer as these two boys were making a lot of noise every Sunday, disturbing
the whole congregation. I, the pastor, had to solve this issue. I just told the
first lady that I myself was just like those two boys when I was their age. I
imagine if my parents and our parish priest prevented me from attending Masses
because of that, I would not be an active Christian, much less a priest, today.
I, here, exhort the parish priests and ushers to find a perfect solution to this
problem if it happens in their parishes. The liturgy of the Mass should not be
disturbed, and the children should not be prevented from attending the celebration.
Second,
Jesus invites his audience and all of us (married, divorced, widowed, and
single people) to embrace the heavenly kingdom as a child. “Whoever does not
accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Here, Jesus
emphasizes the children’s characteristics. They are transparent and willing to
admit when they have done wrong. They continue to love, trust, and hope even amidst
uncertainties. Jesus exhorts us to live all these virtues to enter God’s
kingdom. The divorced and widowed are called to imitate children and continue to
love God, his Church, and God’s people even when their marriages did not last
as they intended. All of us are encouraged to imitate children, continue to
trust God, and hope for eternal life. For this, our second reading reassures us
that Jesus tasted death for the salvation of everyone. So, regardless of our
struggles today, we must keep our hope for eternal salvation in the heavenly
kingdom.
Let
us pray for each other during this Eucharistic celebration. We pray that all
married couples continue to be “one flesh,” reflecting the oneness of the creation,
and not envisage divorce. We pray also for those whose marriages did not last as
they intended that they continue to feel the love of God in their lives. Those
who accept remaining single for the entirety of their lives may continue to
live oneness with the Church through their dedication and love for others. Let
us all pray that we must accept God’s kingdom as a child and work hard to inherit
it. Amen.
Rev.
Leon Ngandu, SVD
SVD
USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator &
Retreat
Center Director
[1]
John Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Reflection on the Sunday Mass Readings
for Year B (Steubenville, Ohio: Emmaus Road Publishing, 2021), 422.
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