What God has joined together, no human being must separate – Mk 10:1-12
Today's Gospel obviously prompts us to accept the subject of marriage, and divorce. The Pharisees provoke Jesus in order to testhim. (cf. Mk 10: 2). The Pharisees' approach to marriage is purely legalistic and casuistic: they pose a specific problem to Jesus ("Can a husband divorce his wife?") And expect a binding answer. Meanwhile, Jesus departs from purely legal thinking (a bill of divorce permitted by the Mosaic Law) and refers to the "beginning of creation". Jesus does not escape from legal issues, but by invoking what from the beginning is God's plan for man and marriage, as revealed in the Book of Genesis, he confirms that the marriage of a man and a woman is not just a human convention, but a bond established by God himself: " Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate. "
If " God has joined together" it means that marriage is not established only by the decision of the spouses but is decided by God's will. It is revealed "in the beginning" when man and woman, created different and incomplete in terms of personality and gender, go beyond each other to "merge into one body" It is not only about the carnal community, reduced to a sexual act, but about the unity of feelings, desires, plans and actions that leads to their personal union. In the Hebrew text of the Book of Genesis, which Jesus refers to, this unity concerns the human basar (Romans 2:24). This term, translated "body", describes man in the Hebrew Bible in his fragility, weakness, transience, physicality (cf. Ps 78:39; Is 40: 6-7). If a man and a woman become "one flesh" in marriage, it means that they accept each other's limitations, shortcomings, and fragility, wanting to live them in love not separately, but together, recognizing in this God's will for each other.
If " God has joined together,” it is not only a purely legal matter, but also an existential one. Jesus uses the verb sydzeugnymi, which consists of two words: the preposition syd ("with, together") and the verb dzeugnymi ("harness, joined pair"). A suggestive image that evokes a pair of pack animals harnessed to one wagon by putting one yoke on them. In the case of marriage, we should talk about the sweet yoke of love. But it will always be a yoke resulting from human fragility, weakness. To be sweet, it needs discernment, naming, and approval before marriage. Marriage is not some fate through which God wants to place an unbearable yoke on a man. Love may be blind, but it does not change the fact that by God's will we are rational, thinking and logical creatures. Also later in a marriage, which, viewed through the prism of a yoke, makes sense only when the spouses jointly walk the path of their lives, sharing its burden, accompanying each other in difficulties, supporting each other in times of weakness. This is also the logic of "one body", which is inscribed in marriage by God's will.
"Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” With this word, Jesus clearly opposes divorce. But at the same time, He invites the spouses to constantly care for unity between them. Divorce is not a script written by God. It comes from the "hardness of the [human] heart", which closes in itself, focuses on its own good, departs from the unity of feelings, desires and actions. The situation of each marriage is different, but what is the key to this unity of the hearts of the spouses? Maybe it is mutual trust, trusting one another, sharing words, thoughts, difficulties, temptations, mutual listening and acceptance. The separation of the spouses begins with the separation of their hearts.
If " God has joined together," then let us also allow Him to be in marriages. For example, in the marriage dialogue, to feel God's gaze of love on spouses, to look at marriage through the eyes of Jesus, to hear His word of forgiveness and mercy, to entrust to Him together. To meet Jesus in prayer for marriage. Especially when marriage experience a crisis of love.
Lord, I present to you all marriages – husbands and wives. Thank you for bringing them together, for giving them each other, and for strengthening their relationship with your sacrament. Saint Joseph, righteous man and father, who looked after Jesus and Mary with such dedication, pray for them. Take care of their marriage. I entrust to You all marriages, especially those that experience some difficulties. Please - pray for all of us! Amen.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george