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| Mark 10:2-12 |
In today’s First Reading we read from the book of Genesis
where God creates Eve from the rib of Adam, from his own flesh, to be a suitable
partner for Adam. As Catholics we do not necessarily believe that the Book of
Genesis was a literal account of creation but have learned that Genesis is made
up of a collection of inspired stories that were passed down orally by tribal
peoples to communicate the meaning of how God created the world and how we are
human beings are called by God to live. The details of the account may or may
not be literal, but more importantly, they reveal a deeper meaning and truth
about who God has revealed Himself to be and who we are.
Our own contemporary science recognizes the
truth revealed in Genesis that it is not
good for the man to be alone. We are social animals; this is how God made
us. God made us to be in relationship with others, specifically God created man
and woman to be complimentary to each other, this is evident in the differences
in emotions, physiology and revealed in our own physical bodies. Just as God
made a covenant with His people so too man and woman make a covenant with each other
that we call the Sacrament of Marriage.
This is what Jesus is asked about in today’s
Gospel. Jesus deepens our understanding of Marriage, revealed in the Book of
Genesis, by telling the people that what
God has joined together, no human being must separate. For Jesus, God
Himself fuses man and woman together in Christian Marriage. God allows man and
woman to be co-creators with God. The love of a man and a woman brings forth
new life just as the dynamic love of
God’s own relationship, Father, Son, and Spirit, created the world and
continues to pour out God’s presence in the world.
Marriage and the sexual act are not just societal customs or a
casual activity that feels good, but is the most holy way that God has given to
us to share in His co-creation of the world. This is why we call Marriage a
Sacrament, a mystery of our faith. God
is at work in Marriage in a profound way and in Marriage God’s own presence is
brought forth to transform the world.
This Week: When you watch TV, listen to music, or see advertisements
this week, look at how they talk about sex or portray the bodies of men and
women. What message or beliefs are they stating about our bodies or about sex? What
is the difference between our Christian understanding of sex and Marriage and
what we see in advertising/media?
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