Cycle (B) OT:XXVII:  Gen 2:18-24; Heb 2:9-11; Mk 10:2-16

The Book of Genesis contains two accounts of creation. Today's First Reading is taken from this second account of creation. The familiar phrase here is: "God created man in his own image and likeness; male and female he created them."

 ‘Adam’ is not a name like James or John; it means ‘the creature made of dust (the word for which is ‘adamah’ in Hebrew). In the first three chapters of Genesis, ‘Adam’ means man and woman equally. Obviously, then, man and woman are on an equal footing and both are equally images of God.

All this, of course, is before the Fall! After the Fall, all is changed. Humans are seen as being under a curse, and they suffer differently for it. To the man, God said, "'Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return'" (Gen 3:17-19). To the woman he said, 'I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you'" (Genesis 3:16).

Scholars regard this Genesis story as a reflection of actual conditions in the ancient Near East at the time that Genesis was written. In particular, it reflects the position of women in society at that time. A woman was subject first to her father, and then on her marriage she became subject to her husband. She was subject to them because she was their property.

Divorce was very easily obtained in the time of Jesus. As it is in Islam now, Some Rabbis taught at that time that if a woman ruined a meal or spoke badly about her in-laws, her husband could divorce her; some even said that if a man spotted a woman who was more beautiful than his wife he could divorce his wife. In Islam a woman can be divorced even without a witness. A husband can just say the word “divorce” three times, it is done, then, that becomes irreversible. And if he regrets and want to take it back, he can have her back only if another man marries her and consummate that marriage. There are agencies in Islamic circles facilitating this for money. [In any other religion it would be adultery]. When in rage, a man can say “divorce” even a hundred times. Because, anger can drive people to sudden decisions which they may regret later once the anger calms down.

All this was the background to the Pharisees' question to Jesus, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" Instead of going into a legal haggle with them about the law of Moses, Jesus harked back to the original state of innocence (before the Genesis story of the expulsion from Eden). He affirmed the original state over the corrupted one; he stated God's idea of man, woman, and marriage. The original state was the companionship of equals, not ownership by the man; it was love, not domination and subjection.

Today, wherever husbands and wives respect and love each other, refusing to regard each other as property – disposable or otherwise – the mind of Christ is made visible and human beings are living in a state of original innocence instead of original sin.

 

The Church’s teaching on divorce and remarriage has always been unpopular. In ancient Rome, divorce and remarriage was common and accepted. In early medieval Europe, even Catholic rulers habitually resisted this Gospel command which Jesus so clearly stated: “What God has joined together, no human being must separate.” [Separation of the Church of England and martyrdom of Thomas More are all the after effects of refusal of divorce to King Henry VIII, by the Pope.]

A sacramental marriage once celebrated and consummated, the Church has no power to dissolve. That is why the Church never uses the term divorcing a marriage. What the Church does is declare a marriage annulled, declare null and void, meaning that a sacramental marriage did not exist in the first place. It means that the essential properties of marriage were not present at the time the marriage first was celebrated. Essential elements are true, mature consent devoid of force or based on wrong knowledge about the person. That is why the Church does not recognize under-age marriages. If the person was under drugs or alcohol and could not give real informed consent, then that would make it invalid. If the person had some mental illness, he or she could not give proper consent. Then, it is invalid. Openness to having  children is also essential element of marriage. Therefore, if the couple decided not to have any children in their marriage, then that marriage is invalid.  If only you are able to prove that one of these essential elements was absent, only then you can obtain annulment. Obtaining an annulment does not mean that the children born from this marriage are illegal. No. That was a marriage recognized by society but not a sacramental marriage. Therefore, children of this bond are legal children. Sacramental marriage, once celebrated and consummated is indissoluble.

Now, the sacramental marriage is only between two baptized Christians. It is in the pattern of Christ’s love for His Church. It is an indissoluble relationship. A Catholic can only marry in the Church and if one chooses to marry outside the church it is an invalid marriage in the eyes of the church. Such people break their relationship with the Church.

It is like a young man marrying without telling his mom who gave him birth and raised him up. And the next day he shows up at the family meal pretending nothing has happened the day before. The Church gave this person birth in baptism and fed him with Christ’s body, the spiritual food and then he cannot keep the church away from his life at this very important part of his life. Now, such people should apologize to Church and rectify their marriage before they can receive the communion. They can come to church if repented and receive spiritual communion but not sacramental communion.

When a Catholic desires to marry non Catholic or non Christian it has to be approved by the mother Church. Therefore, one has to get permission prior to the marriage from the local bishop. A Christian’s life is totally in Christ and his marriage also gets the graces only when one is in communion with Christ. One cannot say I want Christ but I don’t care about the Church which is Christ’s body here on earth.

 

As we continue with this Mass, let’s thank God for patiently showing us the true meaning of marriage, and pray for all Catholics who for convenience sake left the church and blocked the divine grace in their life by marrying the way they wanted.