Liturgical day: Friday 7th in Ordinary Time
Gospel text (Mk 10,1-12): Jesus went to the province of Judea, beyond the Jordan River. Once more crowds gathered around him and once more He taught them, as He always did. Some (Pharisees came and) put him to the test with this question, «Is it right for a husband to divorce his wife?». He replied, «What law did Moses give you?». They answered, «Moses allowed us to write a certificate of dismissal in order to divorce». Then Jesus said to them, «Moses wrote this law for you, because you are stubborn. But in the beginning of creation God made them male and female, and because of this, man has to leave father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body. So they are no longer two but one body. Therefore let no one separate what God has joined».
When they were indoors at home, the disciples again asked him about this and He told them, «Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against his wife, and the woman who divorces her husband and marries another also commits adultery».
«Once more He taught them, as He always did»
Fr. Miquel VENQUE i To
(Barcelona, Spain)
Today, I would like, dear Lord, to say a little prayer to thank you for your teaching. You taught with authority whenever they let you, and you were taking advantage of all occasions; I understand Lord that, as a matter of fact, your basic mission was to transmit the Word of the Father. And you did it.
—Today, while “connected” to Internet, I tell you: Speak to me for, as a faithful disciple, I want to pray a little. First, I would like to beseech capacity to learn what you are teaching and, secondly, I wish I would know how to teach it myself. I know it is easy to err making you say what you have never said and, with malevolent boldness, I wish you would say what I like. I admit that I am, perhaps, more hard-hearted than those listeners.
I know your Gospel, the Teachings of the Church, the Catechism, and I remember pope John Paul II's words in his Letter to Families: «The programme of utilitarianism, based on an individualistic understanding of freedom —a freedom without responsibilities— is the opposite of love, even as an expression of human civilization considered as a whole». Lord, break my heart, which longs for a utilitarianism happiness and let me in your Divine Truth I so much need.
—From this vantage point, like on top of the mountain, I can see that You speak of marital love as the love that lasts forever, and that adultery —being a sin, as any other grave offense to You, who are the Lord of Life and Love— is the wrong way to happiness: «Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against his wife» (Mk 10:11).
—I remember a young man who said: «Father, sin promises a lot, gives nothing and takes everything». Good Jesus, let me understand you, and let me learn how to explain it: «let no one separate what You have joined» (cf. Mk 10:9). Out of here, out of your ways, I shall not be able to find the true happiness. Jesus, teach me again!
—Thanks, Jesus, I'm hard-hearted, but I know you are right.