Gospel: Mt 19:3-12
SOME Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” His disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”
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The Jews do not take marriage lightly. They are not in favor of divorce because it is something that God hates (cf Mal 2:16). Here, the Pharisees test Jesus by drawing him into the controversial issue of divorce. They cite the teachings of Moses in an attempt to make him declare publicly that he rejects the Law. But Jesus cites teachings that antedate even those of Moses – that husband and wife should not separate. Jesus points out that Moses allowed divorce (cf Dt 24:1) only to control the consequences of sinfulness, of sklerokardia or “hardness of heart.” This refers to the willful refusal to listen to and obey the word of God. It was the attitude of the rebellious Israelites. They were constantly warned against it. The Psalmist invites the people to be more faithful than were their ancestors: “Oh, that today you would hear his voice: Do not harden your hearts…” (Ps 95:7-8).
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord,” ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
