The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/100415.cfm) reminds me how sacred and God intended marriage.
I got married a few months ago, and up to now I am still on a high. Family and friends came to the province to celebrate, but more than that, is it the fact that we took part of a sacrament not everyone will be able to experience. And in today’s readings, I was reminded of how important marriage is in the eyes of God. How sacred marriage it. How God intended it to be.
In the first reading, we see that God created woman from the man, and emphasized that in marriage, they shall leave their family and live together as one couple. Jesus echoes this in the gospel. He explains to the people how important and sacred marriage is. We see the importance God gives to Marriage. We see God’s design for us. Not everyone is called for married life, but those called to it are ordered to obey God’s command. It probably is easier said than done, but those called in this state of life must remain faithful to their promise before God and must keep God’s command.
Nowadays, there are a lot of threats to marriage. Too much commercialism and freedom threatens marriages. People do not want to adjust and grow together. They want out on the first sign of trouble or challenge. They expect marriage to be easy and happy, and when challenges come their way or they feel they want something else, they divorce.
What God has joined together, man must not separate.
God loves us and gave us our families to remind us of that love. But in marriage, we leave our family to start a new one with our spouse. We become one – starting a new family and preparing ourselves to give the kind of love our parents gave us. To be Jesus to our own family. God instituted this sacrament so his love can be more alive and more real in the lives of people, especially children of the family.
May we work hard and do our part to preserve the sanctity of marriage, by praying for and supporting married couples, and protecting marriage from external threats.
What is my perspective towards marriage? Do I still see it as an important sacrament? Do i keep my marriage vows no matter what? Do I prepare myself before getting married or do I rush myself into it for the wrong reasons, only to find out how challenging staying faithful is? Do I trust in God when faced with life’s challenges?
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another Sunday. Lord, I thank you for the gift of love. Thank you for the sacrament of holy matrimony. I lift up to you all married couples. Be with all of us, guide us and protect us. May we all always realize the sanctity of marriage, and do everything we can to protect and preserve it. Help us be supportive of marriage as we live. help us protect and nurture it. May married couples continue to experience your love, so they may be able to love each other, and pass this love to people around them, especially their families. Amen.
Blessed Sunday!
In Christ,
-g-
Ps
See related reflections:
October 4, 2015
Reading 1 Gn 2:18-24
The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a suitable partner for him."
So the LORD God formed out of the ground
various wild animals and various birds of the air,
and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them;
whatever the man called each of them would be its name.
The man gave names to all the cattle,
all the birds of the air, and all wild animals;
but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.
So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man,
and while he was asleep,
he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib
that he had taken from the man.
When he brought her to the man, the man said:
"This one, at last, is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called 'woman, '
for out of 'her man’ this one has been taken."
That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and clings to his wife,
and the two of them become one flesh.
I will make a suitable partner for him."
So the LORD God formed out of the ground
various wild animals and various birds of the air,
and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them;
whatever the man called each of them would be its name.
The man gave names to all the cattle,
all the birds of the air, and all wild animals;
but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.
So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man,
and while he was asleep,
he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib
that he had taken from the man.
When he brought her to the man, the man said:
"This one, at last, is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called 'woman, '
for out of 'her man’ this one has been taken."
That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and clings to his wife,
and the two of them become one flesh.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
R. (cf. 5) May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
May you see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel!
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
May you see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel!
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Reading 2 Heb 2:9-11
Brothers and sisters:
He "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels, "
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
For it was fitting that he,
for whom and through whom all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.
He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated
all have one origin.
Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”
He "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels, "
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
For it was fitting that he,
for whom and through whom all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.
He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated
all have one origin.
Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”
Alleluia 1 Jn 4:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If we love one another, God remains in us
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If we love one another, God remains in us
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mk 10:2-12
the 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 a husband 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 Jesus 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."
"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 a husband 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 Jesus 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."
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