Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Title

What God has Joined Together is Fruitful

Outline

Fifty-four years and 45 days ago Judy said “I do,” fulfilling a promise she had made to me 382 days earlier.

In good young idealistic Protestant fashion of the 60’s we wrote our own vows which were about eternal commitment expressed in terms of love

But when I asked her, without consciously trying to, I reflected the teaching of Genesis and Jesus: “How would you like to be Mrs. Davids and to bear my children?” - obviously they would be hers too, but it was mine as opposed to some other guy’s.

That is, there was commitment, which we both knew would be permanent, and assumed fruitfulness - not wanting children was not an option, even though as typical young college Protestants of that era we would use birth control - Humana vitae would be published the next year but would not be on my Protestant radar - the idea of not doing so was not on our radar

That combination of commitment and fruitfulness - becoming one flesh literally in one’s offspring - is not among the typical assumptions to today’s generations

The first aspect of this is that of committed union, which is core to both what we might call spiritual and physical marriage

The first necessity is that he and she be of the same species, which is obvious in the biological world, but is also true in the spiritual: the Word became flesh, God was born of a woman

The second is that they be united as one. The isha comes from the side or heart of the ish in Genesis; the man and woman make spiritual pledges (or in some cultures their guardians make the pledges, stated or implied) and physical joining in the physical world; the Fathers saw the blood and water from the side of Christ as the birth of his collective bride, the Church

The second aspect is that - at least within time - the couple hopes for and does what they can to be fruitful.

Our first child’s timing was not on our plan - Judy was upset because she had planned on supporting me through seminary, but I was delighted (as Judy would be once she saw her) because for me the child was a fulfillment, not an interruption

That is not always the assumption today - Judy has a niece who married with the assumption on both sides that they would never have children - that is increasingly the expectation in iGen, the generation born starting about 1995

So what does all that mean for us, especially seeing that you are all religious and I am allowed to be a married priest only “pro gratia” by Pope Francis on the basis of what Pope Benedict XVI’s exceptions?

Let me name three briefly, even though you and I know that we could discuss a book full

First, we live in a world that does not get this “commitment” thing. It is no accident that the individualistic 60’s-70’s produced both the separation of sex and marriage from commitment resulting in premarital sex and rising divorce rates and the departure of priests and religious from their vows and their communities. We need to take this into account in our teaching, even moreso with iGen.

Second, we also are affected by the sin in our world, so we have to counter the devil’s lies. While both Judy and I came from families with fierce lifelong commitment, we had to fight for our own unity due to other sinful tendencies in us that sought to divide us. Knowing that we were part of the bride of Christ was key. The same is true of you: your unity with Christ is dependent on your dealing with all that would separate you from your unity with the collective bride of Christ to which you belong

Finally, the mystery of marriage, both physical and spiritual, depends on the initiation of God - the incarnation of Jesus (he became one of us so we could become one with him) and the death of Jesus (just as the rib from the side of Adam so the bride of Christ/the Christian is born from the side of Christ). We must live this truth gratefully to be fully whole.

As we live these truths we will be communally and individually signs to the world of this deep reality of which Jesus spoke, which will be healing relationally, maritally, and spiritually to those around us, including in this the need for healthy vocations in the Church.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 10-3-2021: Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Genesis 2:18–24

18 The LORD God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him. 19 So the LORD God formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each living creature was then its name. 20 The man gave names to all the tame animals, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be a helper suited to the man.

21 So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 The LORD God then built the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman. When he brought her to the man, 23 the man said:

“This one, at last, is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

This one shall be called ‘woman,’

for out of man this one has been taken.”

24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.

Catholic Daily Readings 10-3-2021: Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Psalm 128:5

5 May the LORD bless you from Zion;

may you see Jerusalem’s prosperity

all the days of your life,

PSALM

Psalm 128:1–6

1 A song of ascents.

Blessed are all who fear the LORD,

and who walk in his ways.

2 What your hands provide you will enjoy;

you will be blessed and prosper:

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

within your home,

Your children like young olive plants

around your table.

4 Just so will the man be blessed

who fears the LORD.

5 May the LORD bless you from Zion;

may you see Jerusalem’s prosperity

all the days of your life,

6 and live to see your children’s children.

Peace upon Israel!

Catholic Daily Readings 10-3-2021: Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND READING

Hebrews 2:9–11

9 but we do see Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” because he suffered death, he who “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers,”

Catholic Daily Readings 10-3-2021: Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

1 John 4:12

12 No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.

GOSPEL

Option A

Mark 10:2–16

2 The Pharisees approached and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. 3 He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They replied, “Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” 5 But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and be joined to his wife], 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” 10 In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

13 And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” 16 Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 10-3-2021: Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2021 | ORDINARY TIME

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR B | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Genesis 2:18–24

Response Psalm 128:5

Psalm Psalm 128:1–6

Second Reading Hebrews 2:9–11

Gospel Acclamation 1 John 4:12

Gospel Mark 10:2–16 or Mark 10:2–12

GREEN