The Catholic Calendar for Friday, August 13, 2004
Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Pontian, pope, martyr
St. Hippolytus, priest, martyr

Scripture from Friday’s Liturgy of the Word:
Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63
Isaiah 12:2-6
Matthew 19:3-12

A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture:

Today, the prophet exhorts Jerusalem to be faithful. And in the Gospel, Jesus says the same to married couples. Answering the questions of the Pharisees, Jesus asserts that God intended marriage (one man and one woman) should be permanent, until death. Church annulments are perfectly in conformity with the teaching of Jesus, for permanence implies both a fully mature consent to sacrifice, compromise with the “other”, and share one’s gift of one’s whole person with the “other.” It was never meant to be easy, but rather fulfilling for the spiritual well-being of both parties.

Today, married couples need to ask: 1) What are my expectations in marriage? Are they realistic and attainable? 2) To what extent are we giving our whole selves for the well-being, growth, and happiness of each other? And let us pray and work toward strengthening the very concept of marriage in our particular Christian community. It is sacred. It is the basis of a healthy society.

- Msgr. Paul E. Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

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posted by joachim at 5:22 AM