In the Beginning
Today’s readings show us the beauty and brokenness of humanity. The
beauty is shown in the institution of marriage. “In the beginning” God created man
and woman to be completely and totally for the other in loving communion. Fast
forward hundreds of years, and you see the brokenness. The Pharisees are asking
Jesus about the legality of divorce. Jesus goes back to the very beginning to answer
their question. His answer transcends broken humanity, and refers instead to the
beauty of man and woman’s creation as image of God: “what God has joined
together, no human being must separate.”
Unfortunately, we’ve all experienced the broken aspect of marriage. Maybe
our parents, friends or siblings are divorced, but it really is important to remember
how and why God instituted marriage the way he did. Marriage images the love
between the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Without access to the love within
the Trinity, marriage would be impossible. In our broken humanity, we find
ourselves unable to love forever, to be faithful forever and to get each other to
heaven. Thank goodness, though, that we participate in that Love. This is what can
sustain the sacrament of marriage.
Moses permitted divorce because the people were complaining and
demanding their way. We can find ourselves in the same boat. However, certain
things, like marriage, were not instituted by human beings. This means we do not
have the power to redefine marriage, though many people are fighting for this right
now. We have to view marriage as it was “in the beginning” before sin, before
brokenness, and recognize that even with our sin and brokenness, humanity still has
access to love like God loves. And this Love transforms marriage into something
beautiful.
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