Reflection for Friday of the 19th week in Ordinary Time, Year B
(Eze 16:1-15,60,63; Mt 19:3-12)
1.0.God's faithfulness
The Prophet Ezekiel exposed Israel's abominations, and showed how God remained faithful despite their unfaithfulness to the covenant he made with them. It was God who brought Israel up and adorned her with beauty. Instead of appreciating God and being faithful, she took pride her beauty and prostituted by worshipping other gods. “Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl, and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you...I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.” God remained faithful even when Israel was unfaithful.
2.0.The Question of Divorce?
This is an ancient question. It seems to be as old as marriage itself. This question was brought to Jesus as a trap. Even today, divorce smells of dishonesty. Jesus answers that marriage, from its nature and foundation, does not admit of divorce. "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, man must not separate."
But they seem to have a justified reason for divorce. "Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?" Does this imply that Moses was to blame for giving such law? Shifting of blame is common with divorce. Jesus' response shows that the law that allows divorce is never founded within the nature of marriage nor its very good. Again, while marriage is rooted in the heart of God, divorce is rooted in man's hardness of heart. "Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” Thus Moses merely allowed it because they would not accept the truth. In other words, there hardened heart compelled Moses, who tried to control the aberration by instituting the law of the writ of divorce. Jesus implied that divorce flows from their hardness of heart.
3.0.Hardened Heart
It is a heart that is not open to God. The people of Israel in the first reading were hardened. All that God did for them did not turn their hearts to Him. Thus they continued to be unfaithful to Him. Also, the Pharisees approached Jesus with hardened hearts. Their minds were made up; they were only looking for a way to trap Him. A heart that is not open to God will closed to its neighbour. Only those who turn their hearts to God embrace the mystery of marriage as rooted in the Divine plan. And the question of divorce will continue to arise in hardened hearts.
4.0.Fidelity in Marriage
Marriage is partened after God's covental relationship with Israel; of Jesus and the Church. The covenant is irrevocable. It stands the test of time because God is faithful though Israel is utterly unfaithful. God continues to forgive their transgressions, keeping in mind His covenant with them.
Often times, marital fidelity is like that. One partner puts in more to keep the union going. Marriage is a bedrock of forgiveness. Couples ought to parttern their commitment to their marriage after God's steadfastness in His covenant with Israel. That is why our hearts must be open to God so we can embrace fidelity in Marriage. Every sacrifice we make to keep our marriages is worth it.
The question of divorce is prevalent in our society today. It shows how far our hearts are turned from God.
Fr. Jude Chinwe Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Church of Assumption,
Asokoro, Abuja.
Friday August 17th, 2018.
