Homily: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 6, 2024
My dear brothers and sisters, both the first reading and the gospel reading of today all dwelt on the sanctity of marriage. In the gospel reading, our Lord Jesus Christ citing the book of Genesis also read today to our hearing made an eternal proclamation on the nature of marriage, and what is this nature? “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” From this Jesus’ teaching, we can easily see the two essential properties of marriage; the unitive property, husband and wife are united to be one and the indissoluble property, it lasts all the days of one’s life, till death do them apart. This is the mind of God for marriage.
The Church following this God’s design for marriage described marriage in Canon 1055 of the Code of Canon Law as a covenant by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of their whole life, and which of its own very nature is ordered to the well-being of the spouses and to the procreation and education of children, has, between the baptized, been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.
Brothers and sisters, every element of this description of marriage is loaded with a depth of meaning. A valid marriage is a covenant in the sight of God, it is a sacred reality, it is not just a romantic relationship between a boyfriend and his girlfriend, no, marriage mirrors the loving relationship between Christ and His Church as St Paul described it in his letter to the Ephesians. Marriage is a life-long sacred commitment between a man and a woman, not between a man and his puppy or between a woman and her cat, not at all. This sacred contract has mutual rights and obligations all geared towards the total wellbeing of both spouses. It is a union that should be open to procreation and its attendant upbringing of children. Christ Jesus Himself has elevated marriage to the dignity of a sacrament for the baptized such that it becomes a channel of grace. Catechism of Catholic Church number 1661, the sacrament of holy Matrimony gives the spouses the grace to love each other with the love which Christ has loved his Church, perfects the human love of the spouses, strengthens their indissoluble unity and sanctifies them on the way to eternal life.
Brothers and sisters, the readings of today give strong encouragement to married couples to cherish their union, to care for it, to maintain it so that it will perennially be a paradise on earth. Imagine the volume of work we put in to be able to pay our bills, insurances, taxes, so that our system will keep on working. Marriage is not different, when two persons from different background come together to be one, a lot of work is required for you both to forever merge together and perennially triumph over your little differences. A lot of work is required in understanding, tolerance, patience, sincerity, tenderness, forgiveness, commitment to each other. So, couples do the work and make your marriage continue to work. A modern writer commenting on this verse from Genesis said that God took a rib from the side of man and made a woman so that you be by his side as a helper, a lover, a mate, a colleague, a partner. God did not take something from the head for you to be too wise and be on top of him neither did God take from the leg for you to be trampled upon by the man.
Finally, some entered marriage with a future filled with hope, but due to unforeseen contingencies, they unfortunately went their separate ways, we pray for them all, we all are children of God. No matter your situation there is always an opportunity to have a free conscience in the sight of God, you can discuss the details with your pastor.
