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Commentary on the Gospel for Sunday, October 6, 2024
God has joined together what He willed to be joined together. Let no man put asunder what God has joined together.
It is an undeniable fact that difficulties in marriage are a common occurrence in every age. This is not a new phenomenon. This has been the case throughout history, from the time of Moses to the time of Jesus and right up to the present day. Building a life project together with one person for life is not easy. Furthermore, civil laws have only recently begun to guarantee equality between men and women. There were stark differences between the sexes.
Today’s readings reveal God’s plan for marriage. In this union, there are no differences. The two complement each other, the woman is similar to the man and is given as a helpmate. These two words, ‘like’ and ‘help’, show us how God understands the woman. Both are equal and together they continue the work of the Lord. Without the woman, the man is incomplete. Together, they are in paradise.
The problem arises when selfishness takes over and love is replaced by a sense of entitlement. When this happens, the other person is no longer seen as an equal, but as a thing. Communication is lost and decisions are no longer made together, little by little. Sometimes, the other is even hurt, physically or psychologically, and both become lonely again, without company, which makes them both unhappy. Extramarital affairs inevitably arise, and couples move further and further away from God’s plan.
Other problems in achieving happiness are simple cohabitation or pre-marital relationships. These do not offer the full and definitive commitment that the book of Genesis speaks of, namely ‘for life, with one person’. If we are talking about true love, there must be a greater commitment than just a passing attraction. The Church reminds us of these things in preparation for marriage because they are important.
Let us begin reading from the Letter to the Hebrews. We will listen to it until the end of the liturgical year. It was long attributed to the Apostle Paul, but the authors have now definitively disproved his authorship. This is not just a letter. It is a homily, designed to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our brother, who sympathises with our problems and weaknesses and knows what it is to suffer. He obeyed the Father’s will and died on a cross. He did not find it easy to follow the path laid out by the Father, and neither do we.
The questions to Jesus are designed to trap him. They put him between the sword of the Law of Moses and the wall of God’s love. The Pharisees told him that divorce was permitted, as did the people. The reasons for such a decision had become increasingly diverse, ranging from infidelity to an inadequately prepared meal.
The Act of Repudiation that Moses prescribed gave women a second chance. They would not be accused of adultery if they were joined to another man. We know for a fact that the penalty for adultery was death by stoning. There is a slight improvement in the status of wives. Jesus challenges the conventional wisdom of his people by denying any possibility of divorce, asserting that it is outside the plan of God. Men have introduced repudiation, which destroys the unity willed by the Creator.
Jesus presents to his contemporaries the original plan of God, which is clear: divorce is not allowed. The love between spouses is the foundation of marriage. It is a love that is expressed through mutual self-giving, sacrifice for each other, bearing and raising children, and forming a family. This is the original plan of God. He will be at the side of those who begin this journey, accompanying them, helping them to overcome difficulties, so that they may be a mirror of divine love and may be faithful and happy.
We must ask ourselves how we can ensure that our life project remains intact despite infidelity, routine and indifference. It is crucial to remember the values that must be nurtured daily in the couple: fidelity, daily care for affection and coexistence, listening, forgiveness… This is how we walk the path together. Pray together and feel God’s support in crises and difficulties. The Eucharist is the most important prayer. The Eucharist is the perfect opportunity for us to remember the incredible love of God and to nourish our own vocation to love as spouses.
The Gospel ends with a message about children. We must become like children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s not about being childlike. It’s about having the capacity of children to learn permanently. You must feel the curiosity to keep asking questions, be interested in seeing everything from a different point of view and rejoice in the little things. And we must quickly forget offences and forgive. Children can teach us many things that help us get closer to God. We mustn’t think we know everything, or that we know everything about others, including our spouse. We must let God be God, with his own rhythms and times, but we must trust. We must live like a child in its mother’s arms. We can and we will live like this. It will be a win-win situation.
Your brother in faith,