Catholic homily for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
Theme: HAVE A MOMENT WITH GOD
By: Rev. Fr. Linus Terhemen Akase
Homily for Sunday October 3 2021
Genesis 2:18-24; Psalm 128:1-2.3.4-5 (R.5); Hebrews 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-16
In today’s first reading, God fashioned man of dust from the soil and then breathed into his nostrils a breath of life. After naming all other creatures man could not find a ‘helper’. Loneliness made man unhappy. So God saw a reason to make man a helper. Thus, He caused man to sleep from which He took something, enclosed in flesh to become a new creature, a woman. When God brought the woman to the man, this time there was success and man exclaimed: “At last, this is the bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh…” Both thus become ‘one body’. This is the origin of marriage (Gen.2). This unity is in such a manner that it is indissoluble.
The original intention of God is that marriage should not be divorced no matter what. In the Gospel passage, Jesus calls for the original vision of unity and completion that marriage entails. The question of the Pharisees about divorce is answered by Jesus that what God has joined, man should not put asunder. Even though, Deut.24:1-4 permits divorce to the male partner provided he safeguarded the woman’s interest by giving her a writ of dismissal, which freed her to marry again. Going back to the first reading, Jesus then reveals to them the original plan of God – that man and woman be united in an indissoluble bond.
There are many reasons while people seek for divorce. Some of these are infidelity (adultery), barrenness, misunderstanding between spouses, problems from in-laws, and unattractive look of some women especially when they are old or have stopped giving birth (dirtiness), drunkenness, smoking, gossip, oppression, depression, lack of humility among spouses which is the concern of the second reading. There is also, lack of maturity on the part of the intending couples to enter this union and this includes spiritual, physical and psychological maturity. When the foundation of marriage is not built on honesty, truthfulness, forgiveness, love and prayers, there is little chance that it will survive. Often times most couples think that the best way to resolve the problems associated with marriage is divorce. While this might seem good, it is important to point out that it is not the will of God for any marriage to be broken (Gen.2:24)
In all this, Jesus calls us to go back to the beginning to uncover the original plan of God. It is a call to return to the roots of marriage, an invitation for man and woman to see their commitment to each other in the light of God’s seeing. And so, today, let us pray in the special way for marriages that are having a lot of challenges; for the spouses that are left alone to take care of children; for those, even after marriage are still feeling lonely; for those that are victims of divorce and finally for those that have refused to marry not because they are celibate but because of what marriages are going through. Finally, may God restore all our broken marriages and may He bring peace in families. May those who are searching find their real missing ribs – good husbands and wives. I wish you a wonderful Sunday celebration!
By: Rev. Fr. Linus Terhemen Akase
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