FRIDAY MAY 24, 2024
FRIDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
James 5:9-12
Mark 10:1-12
RESPECTING THE ORDINANCES OF GOD
There are certain sacred and supernatural orders and ordinances that as man we have no right over. Our attitude to these is just to obey and respect them. One of such ordained sacred institutions is the sanctity of the marriage state. Man has no authority to change, or add anything to this institution but just to obey and follow what God has ordained and live it as it is.
This is the teaching of Jesus today. It was the context set to trap him. Since the declaration of John the Baptist against Herod and Herodias, that Herod has no right to take his brother’s wife because he is a king. The truth be told. It was an act of impunity for Herod to have acted wickedly and jettisoned the command of God in taking his brother’s wife. This was the position of John the Baptist which he also spoke clearly and challenged the impunity of Herod over this matter of marriage and of which he was killed for.
Now the people wanted to assert if Jesus also holds this same opinion in support of his cousin John the Baptist. And they asked this to set him up with Herod and the authorities. But Jesus did not mince words but stood his ground and even explained the matter in greater details.
Jesus asserts three basic truths about marriage which are: the sanctity of marriage, the sacredness of marriage and the indissolubility of marriage. That marriage has a divine and sacred origin which man has no control over. That such divine and sacred status of marriage keeps it away from the influences of man. And this is made very explicit when he says: “what therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”
Marriage is one of those institutions that have divine authority and mandate, designed by God to be lives as such in permanence, in perpetuity, in total respect and the sacrifices of the couples to the ideals as designed by God is very necessary. No one has any right to change it, alter it or even add to it.
The explicit teachings of Jesus on marriage makes it a no go area for divorce to be entertained. So the divine origin of marriage cannot allow anyone to think or conceive of divorce, separation or anything of such. The sacredness of marriage in the building up of families must be maintained and respected. And the indissolubility of marriage once contracted makes it what it is.
Jesus teaches these doctrines on marriage and the church promotes this teaching in her mission and tried to foster these teaching by setting the stage in which intending couples could understand, keep to and follow this teachings of Jesus. The church does this by strengthening marriage courses, giving time for reflection before entering into marriage, leading and following intending marriage partners in their journey towards and within marriage life. So, the spiritual preparations, teachings, psychological test, medical examinations, and even the rites of celebration of marriage are instructive enough for any serious minded person to understand the immensity of this institution and it’s sacramental significance.
Yet many still want to legislate and input their ideas and jettison the ordinances of God. Again, we must be careful to keep to the ordinances of God and be truthful to ourselves in handling certain matters beyond us in this life, and acknowledging their supernatural origin and significance
Heavenly Father, you ordained certain institutions to be respected and lived out without alteration. Grant that we may uphold the ordinance of marriage, its sacredness and indissolubility. Bless families to understand and act with greater awareness of what they do. Guide couples and intending couples to be blessed with the sense of unity, happiness, togetherness and sincere respect for their married state. And may Families live in peace, happiness and in harmony as one, indissolubly united through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
