Thursday, February 27, 2014

Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Friday, 28 February 2014 - Catholic Meditations

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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