Commentary on the Readings for Sunday – October 4, 2009
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Without a doubt the theme of the Readings for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary time is clearly about the sanctity and the non-dissolvable nature of marriage between a man and a woman who are free to marry and do so with the full knowledge and intent of a binding commitment. But there is so much more to a marriage than that and we find this in the first sentence of the First Reading: “It is not good for human beings to be alone.” All of humanity was created to live in relationship with God and with others. The desire to have companionship is part of our nature; we search for it; we long for it and are not fulfilled as loving people without it.
The First Reading is from the Book of Genesis (2:18 – 24). This passage is from the ‘second telling’ of the creation story and focuses more on the human aspect of creation than on the inanimate. Because God made man and woman out of His divine love and His desire to share that love with His creation, He gave His human creations that same desire to live and share with one another. This is most solemnly demonstrated in marriage which, when lawfully contracted, is blessed by God and is binding for life.
The Responsorial Psalm is (128:1 – 6). Here, the Psalmist is counseling mankind on the virtues of a happy marriage and family life. This is God’s desire that mankind should live and be happy and this can be accomplished for most of us in the marriage state. However, marriage, like any relationship, must be a joint effort with both parties working at it together for the mutual benefit of all involved. This takes a great deal of humility, patience, perseverance and, most of all, love.
The Second Reading is from the Letter to the Hebrews (2:9 – 11). The writer of this great Letter is telling us how Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth to show us how to love through humility (“…being for a little while…less than the angels”) and perseverance.
The Gospel Reading is taken from the Gospel of Mark (10:2 – 16). In this story, Jesus is being pulled into a verbal trap regarding the legality of divorce as practiced in that culture and time. Jesus reminds the Pharisees that it was so only because they were so stubborn, and this was not what God intended. God intended that marriage and family life should be the foundation of all human existence and the more love that is put into a marriage the more blessings will come from it. The harshness of Jesus’ words, according to Mark, is because when two people come before God to pledge themselves in a marriage covenant, that commitment cannot be dissolved accept by death. Anyone who violates the commitment or does not fulfill the commitment is in serious trouble.
Our newspapers and magazines are full of stories of broken marriages or relationships that are not marriages at all and the unhappy results that come from them. This situation is now taken so lightly that there is little, if any, scandal associated with it. Nevertheless, for serious Catholic Christians marriage is still a serious commitment that can bring us great happiness or suffering depending upon how we fulfill our part of the covenant/commitment. These Readings, therefore, challenge all married people to reflect on the success (or lack of success) of their marriages and how well they are fulfilling their commitment. And to those contemplating marriage; you are also challenged to reflect on the commitment you are about to make and to consider your willingness and ability to fulfill a binding promise based on love. Something to think about during your Prayer Time this week!
If you have questions or comments regarding the above, please send them, in writing, to the parish office. We will respond as quickly as possible.
- MFB
Sunday Scripture Commentary
Commentary on the Readings for Sunday – October 4, 2009
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Without a doubt the theme of the Readings for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary time is clearly about the sanctity and the non-dissolvable nature of marriage between a man and a woman who are free to marry and do so with the full knowledge and intent of a binding commitment. But there is so much more to a marriage than that and we find this in the first sentence of the First Reading: “It is not good for human beings to be alone.” All of humanity was created to live in relationship with God and with others. The desire to have companionship is part of our nature; we search for it; we long for it and are not fulfilled as loving people without it.
The First Reading is from the Book of Genesis (2:18 – 24). This passage is from the ‘second telling’ of the creation story and focuses more on the human aspect of creation than on the inanimate. Because God made man and woman out of His divine love and His desire to share that love with His creation, He gave His human creations that same desire to live and share with one another. This is most solemnly demonstrated in marriage which, when lawfully contracted, is blessed by God and is binding for life.
The Responsorial Psalm is (128:1 – 6). Here, the Psalmist is counseling mankind on the virtues of a happy marriage and family life. This is God’s desire that mankind should live and be happy and this can be accomplished for most of us in the marriage state. However, marriage, like any relationship, must be a joint effort with both parties working at it together for the mutual benefit of all involved. This takes a great deal of humility, patience, perseverance and, most of all, love.
The Second Reading is from the Letter to the Hebrews (2:9 – 11). The writer of this great Letter is telling us how Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth to show us how to love through humility (“…being for a little while…less than the angels”) and perseverance.
The Gospel Reading is taken from the Gospel of Mark (10:2 – 16). In this story, Jesus is being pulled into a verbal trap regarding the legality of divorce as practiced in that culture and time. Jesus reminds the Pharisees that it was so only because they were so stubborn, and this was not what God intended. God intended that marriage and family life should be the foundation of all human existence and the more love that is put into a marriage the more blessings will come from it. The harshness of Jesus’ words, according to Mark, is because when two people come before God to pledge themselves in a marriage covenant, that commitment cannot be dissolved accept by death. Anyone who violates the commitment or does not fulfill the commitment is in serious trouble.
Our newspapers and magazines are full of stories of broken marriages or relationships that are not marriages at all and the unhappy results that come from them. This situation is now taken so lightly that there is little, if any, scandal associated with it. Nevertheless, for serious Catholic Christians marriage is still a serious commitment that can bring us great happiness or suffering depending upon how we fulfill our part of the covenant/commitment. These Readings, therefore, challenge all married people to reflect on the success (or lack of success) of their marriages and how well they are fulfilling their commitment. And to those contemplating marriage; you are also challenged to reflect on the commitment you are about to make and to consider your willingness and ability to fulfill a binding promise based on love. Something to think about during your Prayer Time this week!
If you have questions or comments regarding the above, please send them, in writing, to the parish office. We will respond as quickly as possible.
- MFB