The Two Become One Flesh

FEBRUARY 25, 2022, FRIDAY

Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time (Green)

CYCLE C - YEAR II

Lectionary: 345

Reading I

Jas 5:9-12

Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another,

that you may not be judged.

Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.

Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters,

the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Indeed we call blessed those who have persevered.

You have heard of the perseverance of Job,

and you have seen the purpose of the Lord,

because the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

But above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear,

either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath,

but let your “Yes” mean “Yes” and your “No” mean “No,”

that you may not incur condemnation.

Responsorial Psalm

103:1-2, 3-4, 8-9, 11-12

R.        (8a)  The Lord is kind and merciful.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;

            and all my being, bless his holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

            and forget not all his benefits.

R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.

He pardons all your iniquities,

            he heals all your ills.

He redeems your life from destruction,

            he crowns you with kindness and compassion.

R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD,

            slow to anger and abounding in kindness.

He will not always chide,

            nor does he keep his wrath forever.

R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,

            so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.

As far as the east is from the west,

            so far has he put our transgressions from us.

R.        The Lord is kind and merciful.

Alleluia

See Jn 17:17b, 17a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Your word, O Lord, is truth;

consecrate us in the truth.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 10:1-12

Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan.

Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom,

he again taught them.

The Pharisees approached him and asked,

“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”

They were testing him.

He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”

They replied,

“Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce

and dismiss her.”

But Jesus told them,

“Because of the hardness of your hearts

he wrote you this commandment.

But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother

            and be joined to his wife,

            and the two shall become one flesh.

So they are no longer two but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together,

no human being must separate.”

In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.

He said to them,

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another

commits adultery against her;

and if she divorces her husband and marries another,

she commits adultery.”

REFLECTION:

Jesus sets out the ideal for marriage. He reminds us of what it is meant to be, even though, perhaps through no fault of our own, we may fail to live up to it. God is always present lovingly to the partners, even if through human weakness they have to part.

Jesus calls us back to the original vision that God has for creation. He sets out the ideal for marriage: a loving and faithful union of mutual respect. In words repeated in the marriage rite he says, ‘What God has joined together, let no one separate'.

PRAYER:

My prayer may be a time to pray with gratitude for those who witness to love, and to have deep compassion for all whose relationships and commitments have brought suffering. I hear God calling me to life and holding me in love.

Religious Views On Marriage

OCTOBER 03, 2021, Sunday
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)
CYCLE B - YEAR I
Lectionary: 140

Reading I
Gn 2:18-24

The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a suitable partner for him."
So the LORD God formed out of the ground
various wild animals and various birds of the air,
and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them;
whatever the man called each of them would be its name. 
The man gave names to all the cattle,
all the birds of the air, and all wild animals;
but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.
So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man,
and while he was asleep,
he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib
that he had taken from the man.
When he brought her to the man, the man said:
    "This one, at last, is bone of my bones
        and flesh of my flesh;
    this one shall be called 'woman, '
        for out of 'her man’ this one has been taken."
That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and clings to his wife,
and the two of them become one flesh.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

R. (cf. 5)  May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
    who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
    blessed shall you be, and favored.

R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
    in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
    around your table.

R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

Behold, thus is the man blessed
    who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
    all the days of your life.

R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

May you see your children's children.
    Peace be upon Israel!

R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

Reading II
Heb 2:9-11

Brothers and sisters:
He "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels, "
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
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.
He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated
all have one origin.
Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”

Alleluia
1 Jn 4:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

If we love one another, God remains in us
and his love is brought to perfection in us.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Mk 10:2-16 or 10:2-12

The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
"Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" 
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" 
They replied,
"Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her."
But Jesus told them,
"Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment. 
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. 
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh. 
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate." 
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. 
He said to them,
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery."
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When 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. 
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it."
Then he embraced them and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.

OR:

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

 

REFLECTION:

God’s original plan for marriage was that of a man and woman ‘become one flesh’. This teaching is a call to each one of us to live out our own vocation in life as wholeheartedly as possible, allowing that because of human weakness the ideal is not always totally achievable.

The unity and love of a happy marriage is a gift from God. Unfortunately, however, many married people, for various reasons, have been unable to live this gift fully.

Maybe our prayer today could be for marriage. if. If you are married, offer your love and your concern for your spouse to God - ask for God’s help in your love. We might all pray for those who find their marriages difficult or are close to breakdown. We can bring to our prayer those about to be married, giving thanks for the gifts we receive through the married love of others.

PRAYER: 

Two 'cares' in the gospel today - care for marriage and care for children. Maybe in prayer today we can bring to mind people who are close to and who have marriage or family cares, and pray for them. Help us, Lord, to truly care for the earth, for marriage and for children in our society.