Word to the Wise
Friday, August 16, 2024 - Friday in the 19th Week in Ordinary Time
[Ezek 16:1-15, 60, 63 or 16:59-63 and Matt 19:3-12]"Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate." [Matthew]
It can be a challenge to reflect on the passage about divorce in the teachings of Jesus. Even the apostles found it difficult! A big part of the challenge lies in the knowledge that divorce rates are close to 50% in the USA, and Catholics are not immune to it. At the moment I write this, I am spending some time with a couple whose wedding I celebrated 49 years ago!
Jesus confronts the Pharisees and the disciples with God's revealed Word from Genesis: From the beginning...... We are likewise confronted with that revelation. Lifetime commitments are hard for people to contemplate nowadays. Too many "what if" questions keep arising. Are the words "all the days of my life" in the sacramental ritual simply words and not binding? Was Moses simply giving in to human weakness and "hardness of heart" and we are heirs to that?
One of my sideline ministries for some years was to work in the matrimonial tribunals of dioceses where I was assigned. I know the various pressures and problems that a marital commitment can suffer and most of the causes are present on the wedding day! A thorough preparation is only as good as the parties are willing to be open and truthful!
A favorite story of mine concerns a couple who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. When asked which years were the hardest, they answered, "The first 50!" One can only hope on the wedding day that the commitment will stand the test of time and human strength. Jesus' teaching is there to remind us of the sacredness of the commitment. AMEN