Sabbath - Aug. 16, 2013 CHRISTIAN MARRIAGES ARE FOREVER God has called us to a life and a ministry. We can classify the three vocations as a call to marriage, to the religious life, and to single blessedness. None is better or greater than the other. Each has a role to play in the work of salvation. Later in the Gospel, Jesus said that there are those who were meant for marriage while others are not. On the issue of divorce, Jesus said that, during the time of Moses, divorce was allowed because the people were stubborn. He pointed out, “In the beginning the Creator made them male and female. Man has now to leave father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body.” God meant marriage to be forever and unifying. Of course, there are cases of problematic unions leading to irreconcilable marriages. So, is divorce warranted? “What God has put together, let no man put asunder.” Jesus gave that teaching — not the priest, not the pope, nor the Apostles. Thus, marriages should be forever. If those who marry truly love each other, nothing can separate them. The Marriage Encounter program even gives that guarantee. “Nothing will be unsolved if only couples will dialogue!” The program has discovered that many marriages are threatened due to the difficulty of couples to communicate with and understand each other. The Catholic Church also prepares couples before marriage through interviews, seminars and counseling. It does not guarantee a smooth marriage, but it tries to eliminate some of the possible hitches in the union. If the couple comes to a dead-end, physical separation may be availed, but the hope for a reconciliation should remain. Man has the capacity for change. If they really loved each other, there is nothing they cannot do together. Rearranging the word DIVORCE would result to CO-DIVER. Rather than separate, the couple should dive into the challenges of their marriage together. That way, they gain couple power. Fr. Benny Tuazon REFLECTION QUESTIONS: If you are married, how do you handle the challenges of your marriage? Do you ever think of separation as an option? Marriage can be so challenging, Lord. Help me to persevere and not give up when we go through tough times.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Aug 2013 01:05:36 +0000
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