Marriage and Divorce

Today's Reflections

Marriage and Divorce 

http://www.graceandspace.org

Mk 10:2-16

²The Pharisees approached [Jesus] and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. ³He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” ⁵But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. ⁶But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. ⁷For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and be joined to his wife], ⁸and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. ⁹Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” ¹⁰In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. ¹¹He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; ¹²and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

¹³And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” ¹⁶Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

Reflection:

What God has joined together. The Gospel invites us to reflect on marriage, suggesting at least three things.

First, marriage entails commitment and cooperation, not competition, between husband and wife. Who is earning more or who is working less or whose family is helping out more should not be made an issue.

Second, marriage is presence. Marriage is built on love. To love someone is to be present to that person, to have time for the beloved, and to be available for the spouse especially when the other needs it most. Love is shown by our words and actions and by caring presence. The spouse is number one priority, above career and friends.

Third, God is the author of marriage. God wills and chooses one’s lifetime marital partner, bringing the two together as gift to each other. One needs to thank God for giving one’s spouse. The spouses need to remember that God is the third partner of their marriage and that God is with them always—in their life together and in their home, in joy and in sorrow, in triumph and in failure, in health and in sickness—till death do them part.

At least three times today,

tell your spouse and children that you love them.

Tell your parents that you love them

and are grateful that they brought you into the world.