Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Friday, 28 February 2014
- Catholic Meditations
Meditation: Mark 10:1 He arose from there and came into the
borders of Judea and beyond the Jordan. Multitudes came together to him again.
As he usually did, he was again teaching them. 2 Pharisees came to him testing
him, and asked him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”
3 He answered, “What did Moses command you?”
4 They said, “Moses allowed a certificate of divorce to be
written, and to divorce her.”
5 But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart, he wrote
you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of the creation, God made them
male and female.[a] 7 For this cause a man will leave his father and mother,
and will join to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh,[b] so that they
are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let
no man separate.”
10 In the house, his disciples asked him again about the same
matter. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife, and marries another,
commits adultery against her. 12 If a woman herself divorces her husband, and
marries another, she commits adultery.”
Footnotes:
a. Mark 10:6 Genesis 1:27
b. Mark 10:8 Genesis 2:24
7th Week in Ordinary Time
What God has joined together, no human being must separate.
(Mark 10:9)
If we’ve been through a divorce or know someone who has, we
might have a hard time accepting these words. We might find ourselves thinking,
“Doesn’t Jesus understand why marriages break down? Why can’t he show a little
more compassion?” If we know anything of the guilt, anger, and sadness that
come with divorce, it might seem as if Jesus is being a legalist here or that
he enjoys “arresting” us on the charge of a broken marriage.
But remember who Jesus was talking to: legalistic Pharisees.
They were looking for loopholes, trying to trap him by getting him to spell out
when it was acceptable to leave one’s spouse. In response, Jesus told the
truth, as he always did. Yes, marriage is sacred to God, and it is a blessing
for us. It’s a union between two people that is sealed by the Holy Spirit, and
the last thing he wants is for us to go through the agony of having that union
torn apart.
Notice, however, that while Jesus said that divorce should not
happen, he never said a condemning word about people whose marriages end up
failing. He knows that we are human beings who make mistakes; that’s why he
came to earth! Look, for instance, at how he treated someone who was caught in
adultery (John 8:1-11). The legalists were there, quoting the Law that says
that the woman should be stoned. But when Jesus confronted them with their own
sinfulness, they walked away. Then, he tells the woman, “Neither do I condemn
you” (John 8:11).
If you are going through the pain of divorce, Jesus has the same
words for you. He’s not asking whose fault it was, and he isn’t holding your
sin—or someone else’s—in front of you. That’s what Satan does, and we should
never listen to his voice! No, Jesus wants to heal you and set you free. He
wants to take whatever is wounded or broken in your life and make it new. So
let this be the day that you accept his mercy and healing.
“Jesus, send your Spirit on all those families wounded by
divorce. Let them know that your grace can break the chains of hatred,
mistrust, and unforgiveness. Shine your light and heal their pain!” Amen!
James 5: 9 Don’t grumble, brothers, against one another, so that you
won’t be judged. Behold, the judge stands at the door. 10 Take, brothers, for
an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spoke in the name of
the Lord. 11 Behold, we call them blessed who endured. You have heard of the
patience of Job, and have seen the Lord in the outcome, and how the Lord is
full of compassion and mercy. 12 But above all things, my brothers, don’t
swear— not by heaven, or by the earth, or by any other oath; but let your “yes”
be “yes”, and your “no”, “no”; so that you don’t fall into hypocrisy.[a]
Footnotes:
a. James 5:12 TR reads “under judgment” instead of “into
hypocrisy”
Psalm 103: By David.
1 Praise Yahweh, my soul!
All that is within me,
praise his holy name!
2 Praise Yahweh, my soul,
and don’t forget all
his benefits;
3 who forgives all your sins;
who heals all your
diseases;
4 who redeems your life from destruction;
who crowns you with
loving kindness and tender mercies;
8 Yahweh is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and
abundant in loving kindness.
9 He will not always accuse;
neither will he stay
angry forever.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his loving
kindness toward those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
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