Reflection for Friday, 19th week in ordinary time

By


Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest
Don Bosco Shrine
Lingarajapuram, Bangalore

Today's Word

Mathew 19: 4-6

And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female,’ and said, 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 then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”


Today's Reflection

The gratuitous love of God and the conditional love of humans – that is the contrast the Word brings to the fore today.

Taking the reins from Moses, the young Joshua consolidates his people reminding them of the great history of faith and wonders that they have behind them, the great things that God had accomplished for them though they deserved none of them!

What a way to begin leadership, reminding ourselves of the unconditional love of God!

In this morning’s gospel reading Matthew gives us Jesus’ teaching on marriage and celibacy.

Even though within the Jewish tradition the Book of Deuteronomy allowed for divorce, Jesus refers back to the original intention of the Creator as expressed in the Book of Genesis, according to which the union between man and woman in marriage was to be enduring.

We are all only too well aware that marriages break down.

Many of us will know that from our own families.

Yet if the church is to be faithful to the teaching of Jesus it must keep promoting God’s vision for marriage as the giving of a man and a woman to each other for life.

Jesus also acknowledges the value of celibacy, for those to whom it has been granted, for those who have the graced capacity for celibacy from God.

Jesus declares that it is a value given with a view to a greater value, God’s kingdom.

It is to be lived for the sake of that kingdom, to further the coming of God’s kingdom and the doing of God’s will.


Resolution

Let's resolve knowing whether  married or single we are all called to work together in the service of God’s purpose for our world and our lives, as revealed to us by Jesus.

Good Morning

Have blessed safe day.

God bless you all