THE WORD
FIRST READING Gn 2: 18–24
The LORD God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him.” So the LORD God formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each living creature was then its name. The man gave names to all the tame animals, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be a helper suited to 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 the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman. 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 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 body.
SECOND READING Heb 2:9–11
But we do see Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” because he suffered death, he who “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.”
GOSPEL READING Mk 10: 2–16
The Pharisees approached 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 him 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 him 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.”
People were bringing little children to him, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ Then he put his arms round them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.
IN OTHER WORDS
It is not uncommon that young men and women meet and hold their rendezvous inside a church, for it is a quiet place where they can talk and share themselves more intimately to each other.
When I was a young priest it irritated me to see one or two couples staying in the church talking to each other without end. I would approach them from behind and gently tell them to find another place or perhaps go to Luneta if they really wanted to chat.
Later it slowly dawned on me that the whole theology of marriage revolves around God’s love to his people. And a favorite picture God used to describe his love was that of the love between man and woman. This is affirmed in the Preface used in marriage: “The love of man and woman…becomes the mirror of your everlasting love.”
It follows that since God’s love for us is without end, marriage should not be allowed to end in divorce. For this would be suggestive of a love that is temporary which is not God’s love.
Married couples participate in the work of salvation by being faithful to each other. Here lies their holiness: when their relationship truly “bears the imprint of God’s divine love.” (Preface)
- Atilano Corcuera, SVD (DWST, Tagaytay City)
The Word in other words 2015
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
