Friday of the 19th week in ordinary time year A
Joshua 24:1-13 Mat. 19:3-12
Theme: The sanctity of marriage
In the gospel reading of today from St. Mathew, the Pharisees tested Jesus with the question of divorce in marriage. Jesus answered the question of the Pharisees on divorce, by pointing out the sanctity of marriage. This is the foundation of the teaching of the Catholic church about the sacrament of matrimony. It is for better and for worse, once contracted, there is no going back. That is why it is very important for an individual to take time and be sure of what he or she wants before contracting a marriage with someone else. In the Catholic church there is no place for divorce.
The bond of marriage makes the two people become one and they are no longer two but one. Jesus even went further by pointing out the fact that the different states of life, is chosen by the person involved, and the invitation of God for the celibate way of life, is not forced on anyone. Whether one decides to choose the married life, or the celibate life is your choice and a personal decision. In view of this, we must be mindful of any state of life we decide to embrace.
The marriage institution is sacred and holy and should be treated as such by all those who embrace this state of life. If it is your choice, you must pray and do all you can to make it work, because once contracted there is no divorce. It is not a way of life that one gets into and after some time decides to come out of it or contract a new one. The Catholic church does not subscribe to it. So, it is better to take your time and be certain about the choice of partner that you make at the end, so that it does not end in regrets.
The rate of divorce in marriages is increasing by the day. People who have validly contracted marriages in the church, want to leave their marriages. Unfortunately, the church does not subscribe to divorce, so their desire cannot be granted by the church. It is important to be mindful of the challenges in the different states of life, and then decide after praying about it, which of them you will be comfortable embracing as your choice. This is very important because there is no state of life that is without challenges or difficulty. Our prayer today is the God will grant healing to marriages and restore the bond of love, peace and unity in all marriages experiencing difficulties at this time. May the Lord bless his words in our hearts in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.