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Sunday,
October 5, 2003
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Genesis
2:18-24: The creation of man and woman In
the first reading, the second creation narrative in Genesis,
our attention is drawn to the creation of man and woman, both
formed from earth and divine breath. Man and woman must till
the soil and make it fruitful for their food supply. They
have domain over animals and all created things. Because
God creates man and woman, they are equal despite their diversity. Perfect
relationship between woman and man is not guaranteed and is
not something that always occurs in the normal course of events:
Relationship is a victory freely won only through mutual cooperation.
The union between male and female involves the deep commitment
of both partners. The
author of the letter to the Hebrews tells us that Jesus' passion
and death are not ends in themselves, but only a means to
resurrection and full salvation. Christians cannot remain
fixed in their contemplation of the one crucified on Good
Friday, thereby seeking to build human life only through pain,
suffering and death. The same epistle tells us that during
Jesus‚ mortal life, he tearfully cried out in prayers and
supplications to the one who could save him from death. This
means that Jesus struggled to find an alternative way that
was not aligned with his own will, but would rather fulfill
the will of the Father. In our contemporary spirituality,
we are striving to overcome all kinds of devotion that focuses
exclusively on Jesus' sufferings and sorrows in order to fashion
our Christian life with the hope that his resurrection offers
us. In
the gospel, the Pharisees tested Jesus by questioning him
on his opinions on divorce and on whether a husband could
lawfully repudiate his wife. Jesus'
answer is significant when we take into account that, in Judaism
as well as in the Greco-Roman world, repudiation was very
commonplace and was regulated by law. If Jesus responded that
repudiation was not licit, he would be viewed in opposition
to the law of Moses. That is why Jesus turns the question
on them and explains that the Mosaic law is provisional and
that now, in the fullness of time, in those whose lives are
built on a new social order, man and woman are partners in
the harmony and balance of creation. The novelty of Jesus'
statement was clear to his listeners. In his interpretation,
Jesus disapproved of the opinions of teachers of the law who
thought that a woman could be rejected even by an insignificant
action, such as allowing food to burn. But Jesus also rejected
the very relativity of Mosaic law.! He questioned the superior
pretenses of the Pharisees who rejected women, just as they
rejected children, the poor, the sick, and people in general.
Jesus' teaching is innovative because, while defending women,
he speaks on behalf of those who are rejected and excluded,
those who had no rights. Nevertheless
Jesus‚ disciples didn't understand him because they held the
same pharisaical notions,. When they returned home, they asked
him to repeat what he had stated. Jesus didn't add much more
to what he had already said. He simply elaborated on the consequences
of repudiation: Whoever rejects his wife and marries another,
commits adultery against his first wife. If a wife rejects
her husband and marries another, she also commits adultery.
In
the second part of our gospel, we witness Jesus' quarrel with
his disciples because they refuse to let children approach
him for his blessing. The
disciples thought that a genuine teacher should not waste
time with children because that would undermine the teacher‚s
authority and credibility. Decidedly, they had missed the
entire point of Jesus' teaching. They
assimilated neither Jesus' attitudes, nor the criteria of
the Kingdom. Jesus reacts angrily toward them because his
patience had its limits too. If there was anything he did
not tolerate, it was contempt toward those who are maginalized.
And so he spoke to them very emphatically: let the children
approach. What right did his disciples have to impede them
when the Father has decided that children are in fact given
preference in his Reign? Do the disciples still not understand
that in the Kingdom of God things are understood in a completely
different way than they are by people of the world? Children
are unable to claim special consideration. In their lack of
privileges and power, children are an example for the disciples.
As disciples, they are expected to put aside any motivation
of ambition or selfish pretense. In that way, they can welcome
God's Kingdom as a completely gratuitous gift. Jesus states:
The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Our
Christian experience must be authenticated by genuine hospitality
and love toward all those who are excluded by the unjust and
inhuman systems that prevail in the world. Our primary task
is to include all those whom society has discarded merely
because they do not fit into the human pattern designed by
society. To be recognizes as true followers of Jesus, we must
begin to work on behalf of our weak brothers and sisters,
people who have been discarded by this world. For
personal conversion
For
a community meeting or a meeting of a Bible circle -
A theologian has stated that if one took into consideration
the tormented history of Catholic sexual morals in the last
several centuries, «it would be better for the Church to remain
silent on the topic for the next hundred years." Beyond symbolic
intent, what value and meaning can be found in the statement? -
There are many dissenting voices in the church, including
bishops, in opposition to the Vatican‚s opinion in the instruction
on the family that divorced and remarried Catholics cannot
take communion. Should the Vatican forbid these Catholics
to seek the healing graces of the Eucharist? What is our opinion?
Comment from biblical, theological and pastoral perspectives. -
There are those who think the gospel text on divorce does
not pertain directly to the very issue of divorce, but rather
to Jesus' criticism of the machismo of the moral outlook of
his day. At that time, a man was allowed to reject his wife
unilaterally and even for ridiculously superficial reasons. Jesus'
words are directed not as an allegation against divorce, but
rather in defense of equality between men and women... Did
we find anything dealing with respect as we read this text?
What can we say? For
the prayer of the faithful
Community
Prayer O
God, Creative Force, you have fashioned our body in its most
intimate structures to respond continuously to the ever awesome
mystery of sexuality. You have made us men and women in your
image and likeness, sons and daughters called to live in dynamic
harmony, in mutual love, in joyful collaboration. Help us
to mature as people, as society, as major religions. May the taboos and obsessions that have tormented our conscience and our coexistence for so many centuries give way to attitudes of understanding, and to the positive and joyful valuing of all the energies and resources with which you have endowed our nature. God, giver of life, ever living forever and ever. Amen. |
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