Gospel: Mk 10:2-16 or 10:2-12
In this Gospel passage, Jesus speaks of marriage as a strong and unifying bond between a man and a woman. Jesus advocated the sanctity of marriage and emphasized its covenant nature. From the beginning, God intended that in marriage a couple would live in mutual love for each other in an exclusive and permanent relationship. This differed from a contractual type of agreement observed throughout history where many marriages were alliances that were formed to enhance political, economic, or social status.
Jesus chose the image of marriage to illustrate His love for His Church. One popular Catholic speaker has described marriage as an appetizer to the wedding feast of the Lamb, the Heavenly Banquet for which we are made to be united with the Infinite Love forever.
A marriage needs to be nurtured. If not, it can fail. There are many reasons for failure: infidelity, emotional instability, or the couples simply give up trying to “make the marriage work.” Divorce was an issue in Jesus’ time. Sadly, in our present culture, divorce is prevalent also because people do not understand what it means to be in a relationship. Many faithful Catholics experience the pain of separation and divorce. Sometimes divorce is inevitable and when it does occur we need to support the couple with love, mercy, and compassion and not with blame and shame.
For anyone who has undergone divorce, I think God is asking them to let go of the hurt and anger and to allow Him to carry the burden. In any situation, God always has the last word, and that word is forgiveness.
Sister Marcella Louise Wallowicz, CSFN
