TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
7 OCTOBER 2018
When
the Pharisees ask Jesus their question about divorce, they already know the
answer. The Law of Moses allowed a
husband to divorce his wife. They are
trying to trap Jesus into taking sides on the issue of what constitutes the
reason for the divorce. Those who
interpreted the law strictly argued that infidelity would be the only reason. Those who interpreted the law loosely argued
that any reason would suffice. A husband
could divorce his wife if he did not like her cooking. Filing for divorce was the husband’s
right. The wife had absolutely no rights.
Jesus knows
the hardness of their hearts and that they are trying to justify their actions
by appealing to the law. He appeals to
God’s original plan in Genesis. God
created us in his image. God made us male
and female. God intended the union of
husband and wife to be a relationship that can only be broken by death. Pictured as the first of the mosaics in the
main aisle of our church, this covenant of marriage reflects God’s
unconditional love for us.
When the
disciples find themselves alone with Jesus in the house, they also question him
about his teaching. They find it
difficult. He rebukes them and invites
the children to come to him. Children
have a way of being vulnerable and putting their trust in those who love them. We see this type of trust when we offer Penance
Services in Advent and Lent to our children.
They come rushing to the priests who are seated for the Sacrament of
Reconciliation. They display a trust in
the Lord who will forgive them. Those
who enter the permanent covenant of marriage can have the same trust that the
Lord will give them the strength to die to themselves so that they can rise
with the Lord and their spouse and children.
We find
this teaching as difficult today as the first disciples of Jesus did. In fact, this Gospel is the basis for the
Church’s teaching on the indissolubility of marriage. We believe that once a couple has entered
into a valid bond of marriage, only death can end that bond, and not a legal
decree of divorce. Unfortunately,
divorce is part of the fabric of our culture, as it was at the time of
Jesus. Every one of us has been touched
by divorce, in one way or another.
At Saint
Pius, we work to help parishioners to uphold this difficult teaching. Our parish team works with couples preparing
for marriage. We have developed programs
to assist married couples. We have
offered “date night” for married couples, giving them a chance to join other
couples in reflecting on the Lord’s presence in their marriage. Lou and Lori Giovannini are currently offering
their seminar, Married in Christ. We
provide resources for those in troubled marriages, giving recommendations for
professional therapists who believe in marriage. We offer the services of the Marriage
Tribunal to those who have experienced the scourge of divorce. Going through the Marriage Tribunal is challenging. It asks the question whether the marriage under
study truly had everything needed to be considered a valid bond of marriage
that can only be ended by death. We
offer a special ministry to those going through the process.
Jesus’
teaching on marriage is indeed difficult.
Those of you who have made that permanent commitment know the crosses
that you must carry to continue to live that Sacrament. But you also need to know the graces that
come from your sacrifices. The month of
October is dedicated to our conviction that we are made in God’s image and that
we must safeguard the right to life from conception through natural death. Please visit our website and the display in
the Parish Life Center for ways to be involved.
But also know that if you are struggling to live the Sacrament of
Marriage, you are already involved as you trust in the Lord’s presence in your
marriage, as children trust those who love them.
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