DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Genesis 2,18-24; Hebrew 2, 9-11; Mark 10,2-16; 27th Sunday: Year B)
A key to a profitable interpretation of the liturgical readings of today could be the first verse of the responsorial psalm of the day: O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways (Psalm 127/128). This psalm is classified as a wisdom psalm. It is a clearly descriptive instruction that teaches rather than an address directed to God in praise or thanksgiving. The psalm contains some of the themes and vocabulary associated with the wisdom tradition. Examples include reward and punishment; happy, or blessed; ways, or path. It begins with a macarism (v. 1), which is a formal statement that designates a person or group as happy or blessed. This statement includes mention of the characteristic that is the basis of the happiness and then describes the blessings that flow from that characteristic. In this psalm, those called happy are the ones who fear the Lord, who walk in God’s ways (w. 1,4), and the blessing that flows from this attitude of mind and heart is a life of prosperity (w. 2-3). In the wisdom tradition fear of the Lord is the distinguishing characteristic of the righteous person. It denotes profound awe and amazement before the tremendous marvels of God. While this may include some degree of terror, it is the kind of fear that accompanies wonder at something amazing rather than dread in the face of mistreatment. The one who fears the Lord is one who acknowledges God’s sovereignty and power and lives in accord with the order established by God. If anyone is to be happy and enjoy the blessings of life, it is the one who fears the Lord. Who are the ones who fear God, who walk in God’s ways? They are those who bind themselves together with Christ in marriage, those who are brothers and sisters of Christ, those who accept the reign of God in the manner of a child—these walk in God’s ways.
Binding oneself with Christ in Marriage: The first reading from the book of Genesis and the Gospel reading show clearly that marriage, the union of one man and one woman which has its origin from God. The first reading brings out clearly that man and woman are indeed partners and they complement each other. The author of this passage, by the use of poetic constructions, indicates that he did not set out to provide an accurate account of the creation of the first couple but sought to focus on their relationship. This is confirmed in the last verse, which speaks of the very powerful and natural drive of the sexes to be physically united as one flesh. This drive prompts a man to disengage himself from his primary relationship and responsibility (his family of origin) and to establish a new social unit. The importance of such a shift of loyalties of a man in the ancient world cannot be underestimated. In the Gospel reading, the Pharisees were not asking about the acceptability of divorce; it was permitted by law. Jesus responds to their challenge with one of his own. He first uses his knowledge of the Mosaic Law to answer their question. He then goes beyond this tradition to the original intent of God as found in the creation account. Doing this, he does not undermine the authority of the Mosaic tradition. Instead, he points out its concession to human weakness. However, in God’s design the couple become one flesh and must not be separated. Jesus’ teaching does not make the demands of marriage easier, but it does place the marriage partners on an equal footing.
In our world today, as were in ancient times, there are so many reasons why people marry. Although most do so out of love, some marry for companionship, or for money, or because a child is involved. Unfortunately, too many people fail to consider marriage from a religious point of view. This is sometimes even true of believers. There are several reasons in their minds about being joined to each other, but when people marry, they do not always think about being joined with Christ. It is not that Christ is a third party in the union. It is more profound than that. Christ, who is the sign or sacrament of God’s presence in the world, is the ground of that union. The couple does not merely receive a sacrament, they become one. They become an outward sign of the love of God to each other and to their neighbours. They are able to open themselves to each other in love because God has first loved them. When they become one in marriage, they create something new, something that is a sign of the creative power of God. This in no way minimises the passionate love they may have or the unselfishness with which they give themselves to each other. Instead, it underscores the origin of that passion and the model of that unselfishness. It is only those who fear the Lord that attain this ideal of marriage and blessed are they!
We are brothers and sisters of Christ in more than one way. First, through his incarnation he became one of us, a little lower than the angels. Jesus emptied himself of his divine privileges, and if this was lot humbling enough, he did so in order to empty himself in death for the sake of everyone else. He shared our human existence; he knew the highs and lows of human life. He died for us. Then he redefined family relationships, claiming that blood bonds were no longer the determinant for establishing kinship. Instead, those who hear the word of God and keep it, those who commit themselves to God in faithful discipleship, those who fear the Lord are his brothers and sisters.
Marriage and every other form of discipleship as well make significant religious demands on us, particularly trust and openness. Because we are taking a step into the unknown, they require a profound act of trust—trust in ourselves, trust in each other, and, most important, trust in God. They also expect openness on our part—openness to give and openness to receive. Unfortunately, we associate these characteristics with unpretentious children. While children may possess them (because they are innocent, we must repossess them because we have been re-created in Christ by virtue of our baptism. May we in today’s Eucharistic celebration pray for the gift of the fear of the Lord with its attendant blessings Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye
(Genesis 2,18-24; Hebrew 2, 9-11; Mark 10,2-16; 27th Sunday: Year B)
A key to a profitable interpretation of the liturgical readings of today could be the first verse of the responsorial psalm of the day: O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways (Psalm 127/128). This psalm is classified as a wisdom psalm. It is a clearly descriptive instruction that teaches rather than an address directed to God in praise or thanksgiving. The psalm contains some of the themes and vocabulary associated with the wisdom tradition. Examples include reward and punishment; happy, or blessed; ways, or path. It begins with a macarism (v. 1), which is a formal statement that designates a person or group as happy or blessed. This statement includes mention of the characteristic that is the basis of the happiness and then describes the blessings that flow from that characteristic. In this psalm, those called happy are the ones who fear the Lord, who walk in God’s ways (w. 1,4), and the blessing that flows from this attitude of mind and heart is a life of prosperity (w. 2-3). In the wisdom tradition fear of the Lord is the distinguishing characteristic of the righteous person. It denotes profound awe and amazement before the tremendous marvels of God. While this may include some degree of terror, it is the kind of fear that accompanies wonder at something amazing rather than dread in the face of mistreatment. The one who fears the Lord is one who acknowledges God’s sovereignty and power and lives in accord with the order established by God. If anyone is to be happy and enjoy the blessings of life, it is the one who fears the Lord. Who are the ones who fear God, who walk in God’s ways? They are those who bind themselves together with Christ in marriage, those who are brothers and sisters of Christ, those who accept the reign of God in the manner of a child—these walk in God’s ways.
Binding oneself with Christ in Marriage: The first reading from the book of Genesis and the Gospel reading show clearly that marriage, the union of one man and one woman which has its origin from God. The first reading brings out clearly that man and woman are indeed partners and they complement each other. The author of this passage, by the use of poetic constructions, indicates that he did not set out to provide an accurate account of the creation of the first couple but sought to focus on their relationship. This is confirmed in the last verse, which speaks of the very powerful and natural drive of the sexes to be physically united as one flesh. This drive prompts a man to disengage himself from his primary relationship and responsibility (his family of origin) and to establish a new social unit. The importance of such a shift of loyalties of a man in the ancient world cannot be underestimated. In the Gospel reading, the Pharisees were not asking about the acceptability of divorce; it was permitted by law. Jesus responds to their challenge with one of his own. He first uses his knowledge of the Mosaic Law to answer their question. He then goes beyond this tradition to the original intent of God as found in the creation account. Doing this, he does not undermine the authority of the Mosaic tradition. Instead, he points out its concession to human weakness. However, in God’s design the couple become one flesh and must not be separated. Jesus’ teaching does not make the demands of marriage easier, but it does place the marriage partners on an equal footing.
In our world today, as were in ancient times, there are so many reasons why people marry. Although most do so out of love, some marry for companionship, or for money, or because a child is involved. Unfortunately, too many people fail to consider marriage from a religious point of view. This is sometimes even true of believers. There are several reasons in their minds about being joined to each other, but when people marry, they do not always think about being joined with Christ. It is not that Christ is a third party in the union. It is more profound than that. Christ, who is the sign or sacrament of God’s presence in the world, is the ground of that union. The couple does not merely receive a sacrament, they become one. They become an outward sign of the love of God to each other and to their neighbours. They are able to open themselves to each other in love because God has first loved them. When they become one in marriage, they create something new, something that is a sign of the creative power of God. This in no way minimises the passionate love they may have or the unselfishness with which they give themselves to each other. Instead, it underscores the origin of that passion and the model of that unselfishness. It is only those who fear the Lord that attain this ideal of marriage and blessed are they!
We are brothers and sisters of Christ in more than one way. First, through his incarnation he became one of us, a little lower than the angels. Jesus emptied himself of his divine privileges, and if this was lot humbling enough, he did so in order to empty himself in death for the sake of everyone else. He shared our human existence; he knew the highs and lows of human life. He died for us. Then he redefined family relationships, claiming that blood bonds were no longer the determinant for establishing kinship. Instead, those who hear the word of God and keep it, those who commit themselves to God in faithful discipleship, those who fear the Lord are his brothers and sisters.
Marriage and every other form of discipleship as well make significant religious demands on us, particularly trust and openness. Because we are taking a step into the unknown, they require a profound act of trust—trust in ourselves, trust in each other, and, most important, trust in God. They also expect openness on our part—openness to give and openness to receive. Unfortunately, we associate these characteristics with unpretentious children. While children may possess them (because they are innocent, we must repossess them because we have been re-created in Christ by virtue of our baptism. May we in today’s Eucharistic celebration pray for the gift of the fear of the Lord with its attendant blessings Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye
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