(Sunday Mass spoiler alert!)
We had a rare opportunity to attend Anticipated Mass today. The readings dealt with the sanctity and indissolubility (tongue-twister, I know, but it's the perfect term) of Marriage, and Christ's consecration - not an immediate perfect pairing, but it carries a subtle but powerful point.
The priest spent a sizable portion of his homily telling people the importance of thinking seriously about marriage - to the point of dissuading everyone. He urged us to ask married couples, especially those living under the same roof but are no longer talking or sharing the same bed; etc. I do understand. His point was it is indissoluble and we should only get into it when we are absolutely positive that we will both be able to stick with it - through thick and thin. Love has become a commodity and couples rush into marriage without fully understanding the responsibilities that come with it. And an alarming number of them rush out of it as quickly as they come into it, both broken and damaged - their kids (if there are) along with them.
From Sunday's Gospel: Mark 10:2-16
"He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” 5 But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”
(Waiver: I am not married and I am definitely NOT an expert. I'm just reflecting on the readings.)
God designed marriages to last forever. He believes in "happily ever after". Most marriages fail because of "irreconcilable differences" = "the hardness of your hearts" + not being "one flesh". The Sacrament of Marriage is meant to be both a physical and spiritual union. This does not mean liking and doing the same things or always being together. No. No one's meant to lose their identity in Marriage. In fact, it should be the union of two identities - which means it should expand both of you.
An important, but most of the time taken for granted, part is the spiritual union. This means allowing the Holy Spirit to move in your lives and keep you both attuned to each other. This enables the husband to recognize that his wife is tired from taking care of the kids and tending to household management; and gives him the inspiration and the grace to take the graveyard shift with the baby for two nights in a row. Or this enables the wife to recognize that her husband cannot multitask, thus cannot immediately disengage from the stresses of work; and gives her the inspiration and the grace to give nagging a break for the night and bring out a cold glass of beer with chips to boot.
There is no "hardness of heart" to a couple who are "one flesh".
When a man and a woman enter into the Sacrament of Marriage, God gives them the ultimate wedding gift - the Holy Spirit. And He blesses them, handing the blessing to the head of the family - of course!
From Sunday's Psalm 128:1-6
Blessed are you who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways! 2 For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored. (R) 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; your children like olive plants around your table. (R) 4 Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord. 5 The Lord bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. (R) 6 May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel! (R)
May Forever! (And I know several couples who embody the true essence of Marriage - not without struggles, mind you. But always with commitment, active love and a healthy dose of Holy Spirit)
And what about Christ's consecration? Christ represents the husband, while the Church represents the wife. Christ's immense love for the Church enabled Him to freely consecrate and offer Himself as sacrifice for the salvation of the Church. He leads and the Church reciprocates with love and follows. That's marriage.
From Sunday's 2nd Reading: Hebrews 2:9-11
9 Brothers and sisters: He “for a little while” was made “lower the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”
We had a rare opportunity to attend Anticipated Mass today. The readings dealt with the sanctity and indissolubility (tongue-twister, I know, but it's the perfect term) of Marriage, and Christ's consecration - not an immediate perfect pairing, but it carries a subtle but powerful point.
The priest spent a sizable portion of his homily telling people the importance of thinking seriously about marriage - to the point of dissuading everyone. He urged us to ask married couples, especially those living under the same roof but are no longer talking or sharing the same bed; etc. I do understand. His point was it is indissoluble and we should only get into it when we are absolutely positive that we will both be able to stick with it - through thick and thin. Love has become a commodity and couples rush into marriage without fully understanding the responsibilities that come with it. And an alarming number of them rush out of it as quickly as they come into it, both broken and damaged - their kids (if there are) along with them.
From Sunday's Gospel: Mark 10:2-16
"He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” 5 But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”
(Waiver: I am not married and I am definitely NOT an expert. I'm just reflecting on the readings.)
God designed marriages to last forever. He believes in "happily ever after". Most marriages fail because of "irreconcilable differences" = "the hardness of your hearts" + not being "one flesh". The Sacrament of Marriage is meant to be both a physical and spiritual union. This does not mean liking and doing the same things or always being together. No. No one's meant to lose their identity in Marriage. In fact, it should be the union of two identities - which means it should expand both of you.
An important, but most of the time taken for granted, part is the spiritual union. This means allowing the Holy Spirit to move in your lives and keep you both attuned to each other. This enables the husband to recognize that his wife is tired from taking care of the kids and tending to household management; and gives him the inspiration and the grace to take the graveyard shift with the baby for two nights in a row. Or this enables the wife to recognize that her husband cannot multitask, thus cannot immediately disengage from the stresses of work; and gives her the inspiration and the grace to give nagging a break for the night and bring out a cold glass of beer with chips to boot.
There is no "hardness of heart" to a couple who are "one flesh".
When a man and a woman enter into the Sacrament of Marriage, God gives them the ultimate wedding gift - the Holy Spirit. And He blesses them, handing the blessing to the head of the family - of course!
From Sunday's Psalm 128:1-6
Blessed are you who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways! 2 For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored. (R) 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; your children like olive plants around your table. (R) 4 Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord. 5 The Lord bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. (R) 6 May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel! (R)
May Forever! (And I know several couples who embody the true essence of Marriage - not without struggles, mind you. But always with commitment, active love and a healthy dose of Holy Spirit)
And what about Christ's consecration? Christ represents the husband, while the Church represents the wife. Christ's immense love for the Church enabled Him to freely consecrate and offer Himself as sacrifice for the salvation of the Church. He leads and the Church reciprocates with love and follows. That's marriage.
From Sunday's 2nd Reading: Hebrews 2:9-11
9 Brothers and sisters: He “for a little while” was made “lower the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”
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