Commentary
Sunday, 10/7/2018, Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Created to Be as One
First Reading Commentary: Genesis 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.” From the beginning, God did not intend for man to be alone. Man is a social creature who by God’s design is intended to interface with the earth and every living thing in and on the earth. Man was not intended to be alone but to have a partner in life—a partner who would stand by him and support him and be one with him.
The fact that God wanted man to have a partner who would be one with him is testimony to the fact that man is created in the image and likeness of God who is three persons in One God. So, God created all of the other creatures but none of them proved to be a suitable partner for the man.
This is because God did not make any of the other creatures in his own image and likeness as he did man. As a result, none of them could be a suitable partner. But man was given dominion over all of the other creatures and able to exercise that dominion because of the precious gift of a free will.
It is because of man’s free will that he is able to think; reason and make decisions between what is good or bad and right or wrong. But it is the fact that man was created with a pure mind, body and spirit together with a free will that man is in the image and likeness of God.
In order for man’s partner to be suitable, two things had to happen. Man’s partner had to be created by God and in God’s image and likeness. This meant that the partner had to be a part of the man and he had to be a part of her. The two had to be one in order to truly be in God’s image and likeness.
This is why the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, took one of the man’s ribs and created the partner who would satisfy man because she was created from him and he would call her woman. And, Genesis tells us that this is why a man leaves his father and mother; clings to his wife and the two of them become one flesh.
All of the principles and values that belong to marriage are God’s way and God’s intent from the beginning when man and woman were created. It was God’s plan from the beginning that husband and wife live together as one—equal partners with neither one having control over the other but standing by each other in all things.
When we consider the mystery of the Trinity and how the three persons interact with each other, each one always standing by and supporting the other; we are looking at God’s plan for man and woman. When we consider the fact that when the Father acts, the Son and the Spirit are present; when the Son acts, the Father and the Spirit are present; when the Spirit acts, the Father and the Son are present; we are looking at God’s plan for husband and wife to be one and act as one in God’s image and likeness.
We Are More than Brothers
Second Reading Commentary: Hebrews 2:9-11
Today’s reading from Genesis tells us that Adam was pleased with Eve because she was of his bones and flesh. That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife and the two become one flesh.
Jesus took on human form to become one of us. He too left His father to be with us. But Jesus did much more than become one of us. As the Second Person of the Trinity, it is hard to imagine Jesus as becoming one flesh with us or our becoming one flesh with Him. But through the Mystical Body of Christ, we are one with Jesus because each of us is a part of the Mystical Body.
Making each of us a part of His Mystical Body is the reason why Jesus left the Father and became a man. It was necessary for our salvation. But more importantly, Jesus made each of us a part of His Mystical Body because of His love for us.
A man goes to be with his woman and makes her his wife and Jesus came to be with us and we are His bride.
God’s Law Rules and Everything Depends on It
Gospel Commentary: Mark 10:2-16
Many people do not understand why the Catholic Church does not recognize divorce and draws a very hard line on the matter. I believe that there are two parts to the answer and they are right here in this gospel. 1- About adultery, Jesus said, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” 2- Jesus made it very clear what God’s plan is for marriage by citing Genesis 2:24 saying, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
A couple may get divorced and that divorce may be legal but that legality is based on human law, not God’s Law. Matrimony is a sacrament and Jesus said, “…what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” The court has no jurisdiction over the sacrament of Matrimony or any other sacrament. Absolutely None! The Church does grant annulments. This may seem hypocritical but it is not if you understand the reason why.
Once again, matrimony is a sacrament so the question becomes, did the sacrament take place and if so, was it valid meaning; did the grace of the sacrament flow? In the case of a marriage which occurs without the presence of an ordained minister such as a civil union, there is no sacrament therefore, no grace and there is a strong argument for the annulment to be granted. If it can be proven that one of the parties had no intention of upholding their vows, it is possible that the Church tribunal would decide that the marriage is not valid because the grace of the sacrament did not flow and therefore an annulment may be granted. In a case where two Catholics marry in the Church and the marriage is declared valid, it is very difficult if not impossible for an annulment to be granted.
In any case, if a person marries and then divorces without also being granted an annulment, they cannot remarry. If a Catholic does this, they excommunicate themselves from the Church. Many people consider this to be outdated but as I have said in other commentaries, Church doctrine is based on Christ’s teachings and commandments and therefore cannot be changed by us. Christ left no room for a gray area when He said that if a person divorces and remarries, they commit adultery. The divorce may be legal but once again, the court has no jurisdiction over God’s Law.
Sometimes, things happen in life which makes it very difficult to keep a promise but the message from Jesus today is consistent with what we learn in Genesis: from the beginning it was God’s plan that when a man and woman are joined together; they become one flesh.
In the second part of today’s gospel, the disciples were rebuking people who were bringing their children to Jesus. He became indignant with the disciples and said, “Let the children come to me…whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Then Jesus embraced the children and blessed them by placing His hands on them.
We all love a child’s innocence and when we read this gospel; that is usually what comes to mind. But that is not what Jesus was talking about. Children have total dependence on their parents and we have total dependence on God.
As we deal with the situations that confront us in our daily lives, we sometimes forget that nothing is beyond God and that He is there for us. This is because we get caught up thinking in a worldly way. Sometimes we have to catch ourselves and sometimes we have to be reminded that we are dependent on God and all we have to do is ask for God’s help the same way that children ask their parents. Sadly, some people do not accept God and therefore reject this fact all together. For those people, we must pray.
Everything that exists in heaven and on earth is because God said so and everything is dependent on God. This is what Jesus was telling the disciples and everything that Jesus told the disciples, is a message as well as a lesson for us.
But why does the second part of today’s Gospel come directly behind the subject of marriage? It is all about the physical and tangible result of the love between a man and woman—their children.
God created us and we are the Father’s children. The Son made us a part of His Mystical Body. Each of us is a child of a father and mother and biologically, we are a physical part of our parents.
The point that Jesus was making in this Gospel is that a child is dependent on his or her parents. Likewise, we are dependent on God and if we fail to embrace our dependence on God, we will not get to heaven.
