Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 3 / (Green/White)
St. Stephen of Hungary / St. Roch
Responsorial Psalm: Is 12: 2-3, 4bcd, 5-6: You have turned from your anger.
1st Reading: Ezekiel 16: 1-15, 60, 63
The word of Yahweh came to me in these terms, “Son of man, make known to Jerusalem its sins. You say on my behalf: Your beginning was in Canaan; there, you were born. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.
On the day you were born, your cord was not cut; you were not bathed in water to make you clean; you were not rubbed with salt, nor were you wrapped in cloth. There was no one to look with pity on you; or compassionate enough, to give you any of these attentions. You were left, exposed, in the open fields; because you were looked upon with disgust, on the day you were born.
But I passed by; and saw you, immersed in your blood. I said to you, in the midst of your blood, “Live!” I made you grow, like a plant of the field. You grew up and became tall; and were becoming of marriageable age. Your breasts were formed and your hair had grown; but you were naked and exposed. I passed by later, and saw, you were at the age of love; and spread part of my garment over you, to cover your nudity. I made a Covenant with you with an oath—word of Yahweh—and you were mine. Then I bathed you in water; I cleansed you of your blood and anointed you with oil.
I clothed you with embroidered cloth and put soft leather sandals on your feet. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with silk. I adorned you with jewelry, putting bracelets on your arms, a necklace around your neck and a ring in your nose. I gave you earrings and a magnificent crown for your head. You were adorned with gold and silver; your clothing was fine linen, silk and embroidered cloth.
You were fed on finest flour, honey and oil; you became very beautiful and rose to be queen. Your beauty was perfect; and your renown spread through the nations, because of the splendor I had given you— word of Yahweh.
But you relied on your beauty; you trusted in your fame; and you began to give yourself to every passerby, like a prostitute. But I will remember my Covenant with you in the days of your youth, and, make in your favor, an eternal Covenant. So that you may remember, be ashamed, and never open your mouth again, because of your humiliation, when I have pardoned you for all you have done,” word of Yahweh.
Gospel: Matthew 19: 3-12
Some Pharisees approached him. They wanted to test him and asked, “Is a man allowed to divorce his wife for any reason he wants?” Jesus replied, “Have you not read, that, in the beginning, the Creator made them male and female? And the Creator said:
Therefore, a man shall 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. Let no one separate what God has joined.”
They asked him, “Then why did Moses command us to write a bill of dismissal in order to divorce?”
Jesus replied, “Moses knew the hardness of your hearts, so he allowed you to divorce your wives; but it was not so in the beginning. Therefore, I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, unless it be for immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.”
The disciples said, “If that is the condition of a married man, it is better not to marry.” Jesus said to them, “Not everybody can accept what you have just said, but only those who have received this gift. There are eunuchs born so, from their mother’s womb.
Some have been made that way by others. But there are some who have given up the possibility of marriage, for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who can accept it, accept it.”
REFLECTION:
“The two shall become one body.”
God’s fidelity never wanes. He is with us when things run smoothly. He is in solidarity with us when things are not okay.
God is always committed to stay with us no matter what, even in times when we are unfaithful to him. In our covenant with God, God is always faithful. His commitment does not depend on circumstances. His commitment remains steadfast.
As Christians, we are called to grow in terms of our sense of commitment. Commitment is holding on to the covenant we have entered into with somebody, no matter what it takes.
Christians from all walks of life are called to holiness. A holy life is a life of commitment.
To cite, married people are called to holiness by exercising a good sense of commitment. In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees came to Jesus, wanting to test him if he would concur to the idea of divorce.
The Pharisees cited Moses’ command to write a bill of dismissal in order to divorce (cf. Dt. 24:1-4).
The answer of Jesus accentuated the challenge that people who entered into marriage should exercise commitment, citing God’s intention that was there from the beginning – that man and woman shall become one body (cf. Gen. 2:24).
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