My Sisters and Brothers:
In today’s Gospel the Pharisees questioned Jesus about marriage. They asked: “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” And in response, Jesus offered what many may believe to have been a very strict teaching (see Mark 10:2-16). It may even be difficult for us to understand this teaching, especially in our world today as it’s not uncommon to have family members and friends who’ve been married, and then divorced, and then remarried. This may even be your own personal reality. And so it must be true that many such people are good and holy, and even though they’ve experienced the pain and difficulties of broken relationships, they may have at last managed to find genuine and committed partnerships of life and love with their current spouses. And so, why would anyone want to deny happiness to others? Of course the church must uphold the dignity and indissolubility of authentic marriage bonds, but in our own day it may not be entirely wise to place inordinate emphasis on these seemingly harsh words about divorce (if in fact Jesus’ words were even meant to be “harsh”)! Rather, wouldn’t it be better for us to focus on Jesus’ affirmation of the great dignity of marriages that have been successful, and not so much on condemning those that haven’t?
About marriage, church law states: “The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring, has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament between the baptized” (see Can. 1055 §1). These wonderfully lofty words seem to sum-it-all-up! But obviously I’m not married, and I’m an “outsider” when it comes to understanding all of the complexities of marriage. But even so, like everyone else, I too can find encouragement when aware of the successes of those who marriages are strong. And so, as I reflect on the words of Jesus, and the church’s teaching, it’s easy for me to understand how married couples have a special “sacramental” calling allowing them to model the type of love Jesus has for the community of the faithful, “the church!”
Can’t we say that by their fidelity to one another, spouses model for us how Jesus himself never abandons those who are faithful? Don’t they show us how Jesus does not leave us when things get difficult? Isn’t it true they show us how Jesus always remains faithful to us? Is there no doubt they show us how Jesus doesn’t exchange his love for us for some other type of love? Don’t they show us how Jesus enables us to be life-giving to others? Isn’t it true they show us how Jesus loves us totally and completely! And, all of this being said, isn’t it true most spouses who’ve been successful “partners of the whole of life” say it’s “a lot of work?” But isn’t this actually the point when contemplating how such marriages model Jesus’ love for all of us (a type of love that even took him to the sacrifice of the cross)? I think so!
And so, without judging or being “harsh,” let’s always pray with charity and mercy for those who have found themselves in difficult marriages. But let’s be glad we have a “strict teaching” regarding the never-ending sanctity of love, especially as it’s found between “sacramentally” married spouses! And so let’s rejoice in those successful marriages always understood as partnerships of life and love! Let’s affirm those marriages where mutual commitment and fidelity has left no room for selfishness! Let’s stand in awe of those marriages where spouses have great respect for each other’s uniqueness, individuality, and differences, but who still labor for “the good of each other!” Let’s delight in those marriages where equality and mutual respect abound! Let’s reverence those married couples who have brought children into the world, and who have raised and educated their families according to the way of the Gospel! Let’s be grateful to those wives and husbands who’ve always remained faithful to the dignity of their sacramental bonds! And may marriages that genuinely reflect Jesus’ love for the community of the faithful, “the church,” always bring joy to those who are married, and also to those who observe even from the “outside!”
And let’s never forget to thank, encourage, and champion those we love who’ve embraced the sacramental vocation of Christian marriage! We’re so very grateful to you!
Praise God! Friar Timothy
In today’s Gospel the Pharisees questioned Jesus about marriage. They asked: “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” And in response, Jesus offered what many may believe to have been a very strict teaching (see Mark 10:2-16). It may even be difficult for us to understand this teaching, especially in our world today as it’s not uncommon to have family members and friends who’ve been married, and then divorced, and then remarried. This may even be your own personal reality. And so it must be true that many such people are good and holy, and even though they’ve experienced the pain and difficulties of broken relationships, they may have at last managed to find genuine and committed partnerships of life and love with their current spouses. And so, why would anyone want to deny happiness to others? Of course the church must uphold the dignity and indissolubility of authentic marriage bonds, but in our own day it may not be entirely wise to place inordinate emphasis on these seemingly harsh words about divorce (if in fact Jesus’ words were even meant to be “harsh”)! Rather, wouldn’t it be better for us to focus on Jesus’ affirmation of the great dignity of marriages that have been successful, and not so much on condemning those that haven’t?
About marriage, church law states: “The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring, has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament between the baptized” (see Can. 1055 §1). These wonderfully lofty words seem to sum-it-all-up! But obviously I’m not married, and I’m an “outsider” when it comes to understanding all of the complexities of marriage. But even so, like everyone else, I too can find encouragement when aware of the successes of those who marriages are strong. And so, as I reflect on the words of Jesus, and the church’s teaching, it’s easy for me to understand how married couples have a special “sacramental” calling allowing them to model the type of love Jesus has for the community of the faithful, “the church!”
Can’t we say that by their fidelity to one another, spouses model for us how Jesus himself never abandons those who are faithful? Don’t they show us how Jesus does not leave us when things get difficult? Isn’t it true they show us how Jesus always remains faithful to us? Is there no doubt they show us how Jesus doesn’t exchange his love for us for some other type of love? Don’t they show us how Jesus enables us to be life-giving to others? Isn’t it true they show us how Jesus loves us totally and completely! And, all of this being said, isn’t it true most spouses who’ve been successful “partners of the whole of life” say it’s “a lot of work?” But isn’t this actually the point when contemplating how such marriages model Jesus’ love for all of us (a type of love that even took him to the sacrifice of the cross)? I think so!
And so, without judging or being “harsh,” let’s always pray with charity and mercy for those who have found themselves in difficult marriages. But let’s be glad we have a “strict teaching” regarding the never-ending sanctity of love, especially as it’s found between “sacramentally” married spouses! And so let’s rejoice in those successful marriages always understood as partnerships of life and love! Let’s affirm those marriages where mutual commitment and fidelity has left no room for selfishness! Let’s stand in awe of those marriages where spouses have great respect for each other’s uniqueness, individuality, and differences, but who still labor for “the good of each other!” Let’s delight in those marriages where equality and mutual respect abound! Let’s reverence those married couples who have brought children into the world, and who have raised and educated their families according to the way of the Gospel! Let’s be grateful to those wives and husbands who’ve always remained faithful to the dignity of their sacramental bonds! And may marriages that genuinely reflect Jesus’ love for the community of the faithful, “the church,” always bring joy to those who are married, and also to those who observe even from the “outside!”
And let’s never forget to thank, encourage, and champion those we love who’ve embraced the sacramental vocation of Christian marriage! We’re so very grateful to you!
Praise God! Friar Timothy
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