Reflection for FRIDAY, 19th Week, Ordinary Time.

By

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Assistant Parish Priest, Manjeshwar, Kasargod

Gospel passage of the Day

Matthew 19:3-12  

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and to test him they said, ‘Is it against the Law for a man to divorce his wife on any pretext whatever?’ He answered, ‘Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’

They said to him, ‘Then why did Moses command that a writ of dismissal should be given in cases of divorce?’ ‘It was because you were so unteachable’ he said ‘that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Now I say this to you: the man who divorces his wife – I am not speaking of fornication – and marries another, is guilty of adultery.’

 The disciples said to him, ‘If that is how things are between husband and wife, it is not advisable to marry.’ But he replied, ‘It is not everyone who can accept what I have said, but only those to whom it is granted. There are eunuchs born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs made so by men and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.’

Reflection on the Readings of the Day 

In education, “The three Rs” are three basic skills taught in schools: reading, writing and arithmetic (usually said as "reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic").

With those three basic skills one would be able to get along.

And there are also another “Three Rs” in life.

They are Recall, Remember and Reflect.

These three Rs in life bring us back to our origins, and also to the basics of life.

In the 1st reading, that was what Joshua did for the people.

He recalled for them where they came from, he made them remember the wonders that God had done for them, and he also brought them to reflect on the promises that God had fulfilled for them.

In all this, Joshua hoped that the people will revere the Lord and be faithful to Him.

In the gospel, Jesus also made the Pharisees recall, remember and to reflect about what marriage was about.

Jesus brought them back to the beginning of creation, how God made male and female and the two became one.

And what God has united, no man must ever divide.

As for us, let us always recall, remember and reflect on who God is and what He has done for us.

As we recall, remember and reflect, let us revere the Lord and be faithful to Him.

God has called us to be His own; let us not separate ourselves from Him.

GOD BLESS YOU

Good morning. Have a nice day.