aug 18 2006

Ez 16:1-15, 60, 63 or 16: 59-63 The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations. Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem:By origin and birth you are of the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. As for your birth, the day you were born your navel cord was not cut; you were neither washed with water nor anointed, nor were you rubbed with salt, nor swathed in swaddling clothes. No one looked on you with pity or compassion to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out on the ground as something loathsome,the day you were born. Then I passed by and saw you weltering in your blood. I said to you: Live in your blood and grow like a plant in the field. You grew and developed, you came to the age of puberty; your breasts were formed, your hair had grown,but you were still stark naked. Again I passed by you and saw that you were now old enough for love. So I spread the corner of my cloak over you to cover your nakedness;I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you;you became mine, says the Lord GOD. Then I bathed you with water, washed away your blood,and anointed you with oil. I clothed you with an embroidered gown,put sandals of fine leather on your feet; I gave you a fine linen sash and silk robes to wear. I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms, a necklace about your neck, a ring in your nose,pendants in your ears, and a glorious diadem upon your head. Thus you were adorned with gold and silver; your garments were of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. Fine flour, honey, and oil were your food. You were exceedingly beautiful, with the dignity of a queen.You were renowned among the nations for your beauty, perfect as it was,because of my splendor which I had bestowed on you, says the Lord GOD. But you were captivated by your own beauty,you used your renown to make yourself a harlot,and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by,whose own you became.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,that you may remember and be covered with confusion,and that you may be utterly silenced for shame when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD. or Thus says the LORD: I will deal with you according to what you have done, you who despised your oath, breaking a covenant.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.Then you shall remember your conduct and be ashamed when I take your sisters, those older and younger than you,and give them to you as daughters,even though I am not bound by my covenant with you. For I will re-establish my covenant with you,that you may know that I am the LORD,that you may remember and be covered with confusion, and that you may be utterly silenced for shame when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.

Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6
R. (1c) You have turned from your anger.
God indeed is my savior;I am confident and unafraid.My strength and my courage is the LORD,and he has been my savior.With joy you will draw waterat the fountain of salvation.
R. You have turned from your anger.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;among the nations make known his deeds,proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You have turned from your anger.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;let this be known throughout all the earth.Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,for great in your midstis the Holy One of Israel!
R. You have turned from your anger.

Mt 19:3-12 Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying,“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “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 motherand 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.” They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,but from the beginning it was not so.I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” His disciples said to him,“If that is the case of a man with his wife,it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept this word,but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

The first reading tells how a woman was born then left uncared for and God took her and bathed her and clothed her and made and everlasting covenant with her. She is in my understanding Israel. She is the people of God.

The gospel reading tells of Jesus teaching the questioning Pharisees that God made man and woman to be one and that the law of Moses that allowed divorce was an acknowledgement that some people are not meant to marry although God is calling people to marry for life. Some are meant to not marry but live unmarried for the sake of the kingdom of God. The reading ends "whoever can accept this ought to accept it." This leaves the listener with the responsiblity to discern who they are and how they can follow this teaching.

Some people would like to make the Bible a matter of very rigid "black and white" or "good and bad" issues but this gospel reading clearly shows that the teachings of Jesus allow for more than that. He says what the ideal is but also acknowledges that not all can live that way and that there are other choices. It is for me an example of compassion and understanding of human nature also.

I pray that this day I am faithful in my words and deeds to the will of God in spirit and acts.