Back To the Beginning
The Bible begins and ends with wedding imagery. In Genesis we are told how God creates men and women in the image and likeness of God. In today’s Genesis reading we hear how a man and a woman become one flesh in the experience of marriage. The Book of Revelation ends with imagery of the wedding day of the Lamb. It points us to the intimate relationship between God and God’s people, between Christ and the Church.
In today’s gospel, Jesus takes us back to the beginning when Pharisees question him about marriage and divorce. Jesus asks them and us to uphold God’s original design for men and women in Christian marriage. He also asks for an honest look for any hardness of hearts. Such “sclerosis” of the heart must be tempered with mercy and compassion – which also originate with God.
What married couples stand out for you as examples of the unity and equality that are at the heart of Christian marriage? How does God’s mercy soften your heart?