“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”
Daily Reflections
Friday, 18th August 2017,
Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jos 24: 1-13;
Ps 135: 1-3, 16-18, 21-22, 24;
Mt 19: 3-12
MARRIAGE – A COVENANT OF LOVE!
In today’s Gospel, Christ stresses the indissolubility of marriage. Let not man separate - the man referred to here is the husband and not some third party like a judge. In Judaism marriage was a contract, which could be broken by the male partner (Dt 24:1). Jesus in the Gospel understood it merely as a concession because of people’s hardness of heart. He contrasts this concession with God’s original will for men and women expressed in the creation story.
What is marriage? “From the beginning the Creator made them male and female…” Therefore, from the beginning, God intended the sacred unity of marriage. Marriage is truly mysterious. Each person is a sacred mystery and the unity of two people in marriage is an even greater mystery. As a mystery, one’s spouse and marriage itself must be entered into with an openness and humility that says, “I want to know you more each and every day.” Each person you get to know, especially your spouse, is a beautiful and glorious mystery of God’s creation whom you are not called to “solve” but are called to meet on a deeper and deeper level each and every day. Humility enables spouses to be open to the other in a new way every day so that they can continually discover a greater depth of beauty in the other, to fulfill their joint mission of becoming one. “They are no longer two, but one flesh.” Very few truly understand what this means and even fewer live the beautiful depths of this glorious and high calling of marriage.
Today the understanding of marriage, divorce and celibacy is getting newer meanings and newer orientations. The generation of today finds it difficult to accept the concept of marriage as a life time commitment. There is a rise in divorces and live-in relationships.
Reflect, today, upon the mystery of the people you are called to love, especially if you are married. To call the other a “mystery” may at first lead to a smile as you acknowledge you cannot figure him/her out. But humbly recognizing the beautiful meaning of “mystery” will lead you to appreciate the uniqueness of others and help you to embrace the call to human unity, especially within marriage.
Prayer: Lord, help me to see the beauty and holy mystery of the people You have placed in my life. Help me to love them with a humble love. May I especially deepen my love for my spouse each and every day. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.