Sunday Gospel Reflection
What God has joined together, let no man put asunder

Introduction:

For the Good of the Family

How has the family suffered in society? What challenges do modern families face these days?

These days, families come in different sizes and shapes. Traditional families, single-parent families, blended families, multi-generational parenting. Adoption and artificial means of conception have opened the doors to parenting for classes of people who could not (or would not) create a family in previous generations.

Unlike the size, shape, and nature of a modern family, two traditional factors always have and always will affect the family: the stable lifestyle of the parents and the good of the children. Jesus had definite opinions about both.

First Reading
Genesis 2:18-24

18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."
19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper fit for him.
21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; 
22 and the rib which the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
23 Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."
24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Second Reading
Hebrews 2:9-11
9 But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one.
10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering.
11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin.  That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren

Gospel Reading
Mark 10:2-16

2 The Pharisees came to test Jesus with a question, "Does God's Law allow a man to divorce his wife?"
3 "What command did Moses give you about divorce?" Jesus answered.
4 "Moses said a man could divorce his wife," the Pharisees said.
5 "Moses wrote this command because you have such hard hearts." Jesus said.
6 "When he began to create everything, God made humans male and female.
7 Because he made people this way, a man will leave his parents, marry his wife, and they live together as one.
8 They no longer live as two people but as one.
9 So, people should not separate the union God put together!"
10 At home, his followers asked Jesus about what he said.
11 "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman, cheats on his first wife," Jesus replied.
12 "And, if the woman divorces her husband and should marry again, she cheats on her first husband."
13 People brought their small children to Jesus so he could bless them. But his followers told them to go away.
14 When Jesus saw what happened, he got angry. "Don't stop the children!" Jesus shouted. "Let them come here! Those who are like children belong to God's Kingdom.
15 Listen! Whoever does not accept God's Kingdom like a child will never enter it!"
16 Then Jesus hugged, blessed, and placed his hands on each child there.

Bible Study/Meditation

Today divorce is commonplace and sometimes even brazenly celebrated. Coupled with this change in attitude has come a freedom to live together without marriage, and have children outside of marriage, even among some Christians.

We should not be surprised that marriage is under attack, for out of all of life Jesus chose marriage as the image that best illustrates his relationship with those he died to redeem. So in a very real sense Christian marriage is an icon of Jesus Christ. An icon is a visible repre-sentation of an eternal truth. Consequently, when a Christian couple's marriage is constant and true in spite of life's difficulties and storms, people will look at them and conclude that Jesus' love is also constant and true. Conversely, when two Christians give up on their partner, either out of selfishness or from despair and dissolve their marriage, people will often look at them and conclude that Jesus' love is also temporal and dissolvable. That is why we must stem the tide of failed marriages, even while we extend arms of grace and love to those who have experienced divorce.

Surprisingly, the place to stem the tide of divorce is not merely with marriage counseling, though that is vital and important for couples currently in the midst of problems. We must stem the tide by changing the cultural mores regarding marriage and divorce, prior to dating, engagement, and marriage. Someone has said, "healthy people make healthy marriages." This simple statement strikes at the heart of the problem. Unless each individual in the marriage partnership, independently is committed to following Jesus Christ at all cost, and is committed to life-long formation in Christ, and practical applications of his truths and character to their life, it is doubtful that a healthy Christian marriage can ensue. As we all are aware,  marriage unites two imperfect individuals, who also bring into their marriage, along with their assets and gifts, their faults, flaws, and woundedness. Only Christianity provides the values, principles, and the power to live as one ought to live in a godly relationship between two imperfect people.

Consequently, to stem the tide of divorce we must begin by being and developing life-long disciples through Christian formation. By being a life-long disciple we ourselves will experience a positive growth curve of spirituality, learning to live as we ought to with our mates, and with the people in our world. This by itself becomes a powerful teaching example to the coming generations. However, we need to go a step further by encouraging and inviting our children, family, and friends to join us in a life of discipleship and formation. Marriage is too important, both as a sacrament and as a sign of Jesus' love, to allow its meaning to degenerate into a temporary, meaningless arrangement.

"In the world and in history, marriage is a school in which we become fitted for life in the Kingdom by learning to make a complete gift of self to another... Marriage gains a new richness of meaning by being understood as the human reality that best mirrors the relationship between the redeeming Christ and the people He has redeemed. God's purposes in creation and redemption are both revealed in marriage." (from Witness to Hope, by Pope John Paul II.)

Reflections:

· Please re-read the phrase(s)/sentence(s) that move(s)/touche(s) you and what inner message of the heart is the Spirit whispering to you?

. Marriage is the gift of self to another. Out of the self-giving comes life,   the life of a child and the life of a family. Anything that disrupts that life and its human source challenges everyone involved.
  ----What experience do you have of divorce? How has divorce affected the people involved? Has it given you an opportunity to help others grow closer to God? How?

. Family is a core value to all societies, no matter their cultural form. Anything that challenges family should be rejected. Divorce may not challenge every family, but it should be a concern to everyone because it affects the stability of the parents and the welfare of the children.
  ----Consider those two questions in your own personal world. How can you help a family, its parents and offspring grow?

. What is God's intention for our state in life, whether married or single? Do you seek the Lord and his grace in your state of life

. .How does the quality of your marriage affect our children's desire to come to Jesus, either positively or negatively
.Reflecting on your childhood, how happily dependent you were on my parents, and how you eagerly awaited their gifts. Ask God to restore that attitude to you. So that with open heart, you trust His teachings; your trust that they will lead you to your true and everlasting happiness.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, your call to holiness extends to all in every state of life. Sanctify our lives - as married couples and as singles - that we may live as men and women who are consecrated to you.
Make us leaven in a society that disdains life-long marriage fidelity, chastity, and living single for the Lord