FROM THE BEGINNING …
Blessed Sunday, everyone! Don’t you just love stories that start off from the beginning, & then evolves through the joys & jubilation, & also the storms & setbacks of life to reach a victorious end?
Today’s scripture readings evoke such joyful & uplifting emotions in us. In our First Reading from Genesis 2:18-24, we hear the 2nd Account of Creation. Here, we see God, in His great love for Adam, create a helpmate for the man, by taking one of his ribs & enclosing it in flesh, and making the woman. The first words out of Adam’s mouth “bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh” declares the oneness & union that a man has with his wife, as the Lord God intended for humanity.
In reading this, I recall what Fr Joseph Royan said in his homily at our recent Parish Retreat in July – the Bible begins & ends within the context of marriage of husband & wife. From the creation of Adam & Eve in the beginning & Adam’s word “bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh” (cf Genesis 2:23) to the last chapter of the Book of Revelation, where now the Bride, the Church speaks to her Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ “Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!” (cf Revelation 22:20), the Bible reveals to us God’s love for His people, the Church. Because of love, God allowed His Son Jesus to suffer to sanctify & save His people (from 2nd Reading today of Hebrews 2:9-11). And as stated so eloquently by St Paul in Ephesians 5:25-26, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy…”
Jesus in today’s Gospel of Mark 10:2-16, brings the attention of his audience back to God’s plan for marriage in Genesis 2:18-24 & further adds that “what God has united, man must not divide” (cf Mark 10:9). The Gospel continues with Vs 13-16, where Jesus welcomes & blesses the children, demonstrating the purpose & fruitfulness of marriage – having children & belonging in a beloved family. Indeed, the Response to our Psalm today (Psalm 128:5) “May the Lord bless us all the days of our life” expresses the deep desire of every husband & wife, children, family & person.
So here we see the unfolding of God’s loving plan, starting with the joyful beginning of the blessings of Marriage between man & wife & their marital love; then the growth & evolution of their marriage with the gift of children, grand-children & family life; the constant care, protection, grace & help of God through good times & bad; and finally the ultimate fulfilment of their salvation & eternal life with God in heaven. I really love the 3rd Stanza of our Psalm today (Psalm 128:4-6), which states it so perfectly: “Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion (that is, the Church) in a happy Jerusalem all the days of your life! May you see your children’s children. On Israel, peace!”
So, what strikes you about today’s Word? How can we, in our marriage & family life, live out more fully our purpose & calling? Perhaps by loving our spouses & our children with the perfect love as taught by St Paul in 1 Corinthians 13? By being patient, kind, never jealous & boastful, nor rude or selfish, rejoicing not in wrong but always in the truth, & bearing, believing, hoping & enduring all things? What can we do, dear family of God in Holy Family Church, to support marriages, families, parents, children, grand-children, siblings & the elderly?
Here's a beautiful song called “How Beautiful” – singing about the beauty & glory of Jesus Our Lord, & also the beauty of us all, His radiant bride who love & serve our Bridegroom & King Jesus. Be blessed!
https://youtu.be/jVu5VZsCNOI?si=dBKN0nnuB3ASyF_0
Article by Damian Boon, HFC Blog Team Lead