Readings: Sir. 6:5-7; Ps. 119; Mark: 10:1-12
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.
UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE MEANING OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE
The fragile nature of our society today has placed in the minds of the youths a distorted image of what marriage and family life entail and truly represent in society. This is because many young people today find themselves in a condition of radical instability and look for people to help them answer the fundamental questions of life. Today, there are different notions and understandings of marriage, especially among the youth.
Today, marriage is seen as a business in which anybody can engage or disengage at any time. Marriage among the youths of today is a thing of choice and contract which is suitable only when it serves their personal interest. Commitment, sacrifice and partnerships of whole life are far from their understanding of what marriage truly represents. The fact remains that Marriage is the basis of every human family and, indeed, the basic cell of every human community.
Little wonder in our Gospel passage today when the Pharisees engaged Jesus on the notion of divorce in marriage and its controversy. Jesus referred them to the fundamental principle of marriage when he said: It was because you were so unteachable that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Because from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. This is why a man must leave his father and mother, and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.
Here, Jesus emphasized the real intention of God about marriage. He ruled out divorce by placing men and women on the same level; no longer could a man opt to divorce his wife. But, today, there are lots of problems in families due to a lack of understanding of what marriage truly means. It is quite interesting to realize that social, economic and political factors were major determinants that shape the youth's present understanding of marriage.
Today, we see the youths giving importance to changing trends in marriage such as single parent, inter-caste marriage, living in a relationship or cohabitation, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender marriages, etc. Hence, marriage for them is more of a social phenomenon than spiritual union and physical companionship.
Dear friends, today we are called to embrace the will of God and his teaching concerning marriage and family life. We should not let the trending ideas of disordered personalities in our society mislead us. Rather, we should value and respect the sanctity of marriage We should know that marriage is not just a contract but more of a covenant sealed with an oath that must not be broken.
Hence, we are told in our first reading today that a faithful friend is a sure shelter; whoever finds one has found a rare treasure. A faithful friend is something beyond price, there is no measuring his worth. A faithful friend is the elixir of life and those who fear the Lord will find one. Whoever fears the Lord makes true friends, for as a man is, so is his friend.
LET US PRAY: Lord God, we have always failed to listen and follow your teaching. As a result, there are lots of problems in our families due to a lack of understanding of what marriage truly means. As we listen to your teaching today, help us to value our vocation, whether marriage or celibate life and to constantly struggle to fix the problems in our families; we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.
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