Friday, 14th August 2020

Collect

God of awesome wonder: bless us with bold belief even in the darkness of the night and the assault of life’s storm’s, that we may be messengers of your peace and justice ; in the name of the One whom winds and waves obey, and who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever . Amen.

Eucharist Readings:

Ezekiel 16:1-15,59-63                  Psalm 11                Matthew 19:3-12

Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him, asking Him ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?’ they laid a trap for Jesus , tricking Him into condemning divorce and remarriage, while Jesus just finished speaking a parable on the importance of forgiving others. Jesus responded to this malicious question from the Pharisees and reeducates them on God’s original purpose in marriage, and Jesus, instead of debating the learned opinions of the day on divorce, He bypasses their whole argument based on Deuteronomy 24, by going back to the beginning of creation to demonstrate God’s intention for the institution of marriage. In marriage that a man and woman become one flesh but also that they will leave their parents behind, that season in their lives are over, and they are starting a new relationship which takes precedence over all previous ties. They are ‘joined together’, to care for another and they need to build a home. They are entering into a covenant and making a commitment to each other.

Marriage a Sacrament, ‘A gift of God and a means of grace, in which man and woman become one flesh. It is God’s purpose that, as husband and wife give themselves to each other in love, they shall grow together and be united in that love, as Christ is united with his Church’. (APB p461)

Christian marriage is also a sign of the union between Christ and his Church (Ephesians 5:21-33) …The Church is described in a variety of ways and one image portrays her as the bride of Christ…Jesus gave himself completely for the Church in a sacrificial love that the bridegroom is to imitate…(APB 458 )

When we enter a relationship with God, do we not also engage in a covenant, a commitment with God? We also leave our old ways behind and we follow. We deny ourselves, our families, our material possessions, etc. We are entering a new relationship with God, are we also not to give ourselves completely for God and His Church?

Like with the union between two people, it is not always easy, not always smooth sailing, it requires hard work and sometimes when we decide to follow Jesus, we need to deny ourselves.  Jesus told His disciples, Matthew 16:24 ‘Anyone who wishes to be a follower of mine must renounce self; he must take up his cross and follow me’. And sometimes, although in a marriage with God we have our things we worship, and our relationship with God suffer from it. Then we divorce God. Like Jesus, will we have the perseverance to the end? Will we honor God in our ‘marriage vows’? Will we be heroes to the world, to the church, to our families. The world is looking for people with integrity, God is looking for committed, obedient, people, those who will persevere, reliable people and people who will just Trust Him and follow.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father you have taught us through your Son that love is the fulfilling of the law , grant that your Holy Spirit may lead us in the way of eternal life and that we will continue in your love until our lives end. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen