HOMILY FOR THE 27TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

Genesis 2:18-24; Psalm 128:1-5 R/ v.5; Hebrews 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-16.

“GOD’S ORIGINAL PLAN AND HUMAN DISTORTIONS”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide.

·   Today could be commonly referred to as “marriage Sunday”. The church puts before us the institution of marriage for our reflection because of the pride of place marriage and family life holds for the church. 

·      People try to spite the institution of marriage with various sayings like: “After God created ‘man’, he rested. After he created ‘woman’, both God and man have known no rest.” “A man who divorces his wife and marries another is not only foolish but also more miserable - he ends up having two mothers-in-law!” I also remembered as a major seminarian, following the then Archbishop now Cardinal Onaiyekan for confirmation in one of the semi-urban parishes, as it was customary for the Archbishop to ask the candidates questions, he asked one of them, “What is the sacrament of matrimony? And the young boy said: “Matrimony is a place where souls suffer a while for their sins.” Their catechism instructor tried to signal the boy that what he was defining was purgatory and not matrimony. Of course, the Archbishop had to use the opportunity to teach on the sacrament of matrimony. But beyond this, the little boy could be passing on a message to us. Is your marriage ‘purgatory’ or ‘matrimony’? 

·      The Holy Father, Pope Francis during one of his Apostolic Visit to Cuba and the USA some years ago, he concluded the visit by attending the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, with the theme “Love is our Mission: The family fully alive”. Among the many conversations on the family, the Holy Father acknowledged that marriage and family have never been under attack in history like it is in our society of today, which is seeking to depose God’s original plan for marriage and family life and instate human distortions and ideologies. Hence, the need for prayerful vigilance and the urgent need to go back to God’s original plan.  

·   Therefore, it is only proper, since the readings for this Sunday provide for it, to reflect on the sacrament of marriage and family life; and to remind ourselves of God’s original plan for marriage, and how human actions and inactions are constantly distorting this God’s original plan.

·    The catechism of the Catholic Church defines marriage/matrimony as the sacrament which sanctifies and unites lawfully a Christian man and woman; and it gives special grace to those who receive it worthily. It is ordered towards the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring (responsible parenting).

·      This definition of marriage has so many implications which are the original plan of God, as it relates to our readings. 

-       The union between man and wife is only appropriate if it has been raised to the level of a sacrament in the church. Hence notorious concubinage or co-habitation is a human distortion of the original plan of God for marriage and family life.

-       It is only a sacrament when it is contracted lawfully (not your relation, or the person is underage, or contravenes any of the requirements for marriage) between a man and a woman. Therefore, homosexuality, polygamy, polyandry, incest, bestiality are all human distortions to marriage and are against God’s original plan.

-       Marriage is ordered for the good of the spouses and procreation. It means God through the sacrament of marriage shares his creative powers with man to bring forth children into this world (Gen. 1:28). Therefore, contraception, premarital sex, masturbation, and all activities that prevent the generation of life is against God’s original plan because God intended all conjugal act to be within the context of marriage and must be always open to life. And when the Lord blesses the union with children, it also calls for responsible parenting (education of offspring).

-       Marriage is a lifelong partnership of love and life. And this love is indissoluble (Eph. 5:28-33). Therefore, what God has joined together man must not divide (Matt. 19:6)! Divorce and single parenting are threats to the institution of marriage, and a distortion of God’s original plan. Every child deserves the love of both parents under the same roof. Jesus himself explicitly states this in the gospel reading, that divorce is but a human aberration and was not part of God’s original plan (Mk. 10:5-8). It is God himself who unites man and wife. Therefore, he alone has the powers to separate them (death).

·      The first reading (Genesis 2:18-24), talks about the situation during the time of Moses. God gave His commandments to His people through Moses. But the people had real difficulty following most of the commandments, especially on marriage. Divorce and polygamy were so common that they thought these were the right way. So, to maintain order in the community, and to regulate matters involving divorce, Moses had to promulgate a decree of divorce. It is not right, and it is a violation of God’s command. But since they persisted in their ways - “…because of the hardness of your hearts” - Moses had to do something to maintain peace and order among the people. That was the reason why divorce was allowed among the Israelites.

·      Why is marriage such a necessary human institution? The answer is simple: it is necessary for the survival of the human race. In the Gospel, quoting the Book of Genesis, Jesus said, “In the beginning, God made them male and female.” The man and the woman were intended by God to be complementary with each other. The man alone is not complete: “The Lord God said: ‘It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.’” He becomes complete only when he is joined by the woman. And the bond that joins them is love. Love is not just a feeling or emotion. It is a lifelong decision to “stick it out” together through thick and thin, “for better or worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health,” until death.

·      God wants us to live in peace and happiness. This will happen only if we go back to his original teachings and follow them faithfully. Trouble comes in when we turn away from God, when we let our selfishness and pride rule our lives, and when we deviate from the original plan of God. Let us bring back God into the centre of our homes and families. As the motto of the Family Rosary Crusade reminds us, “The family that prays together, stays together.” Then peace, happiness, and salvation will be ours now and always.

·      Are you in ‘purgatory’ or ‘matrimony’? Are you ‘staying together’ with your spouse but not ‘living together’? Remember that ‘wrong motives’ give rise to ‘wrong choices’. Is your marriage a ‘wrong choice’? Unfortunately, many people prepare well for the wedding ceremonies (which lasts only a while), and not a lifelong marriage. Which is most important? Marriage would be enjoyed when it is founded on true love, right reason, and on God the author of life and love; and not endured. Marriage is for better or for worst, until death!

·      SOLUTIONS FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE: 1. Learn to UNDERSTAND each other, because if you fail to understand each other you will not withstand each other. 2. Learn to forgive each other because it keeps you healthy and younger. 3. Learn to TRUST each other, because if you don’t trust each other your marriage will rust. 4. Be PATIENT! 5. Have a common VISION because without a common vision you will have common division. 6. GROW together, else you will grow apart. 7. If you stop LOVING, you will start losing. 8. Learn to say SORRY!

·      FOR THE MEN: 1. Love you wives (Col 3:19). 2. Appreciate your wife (her clothes, looks, and efforts). 3. Look at her face often and call her pet names (they live on attention). 4. Shower her with gifts (never forget her birthday and your wedding anniversary).

·      FOR THE WOMEN: 1. Respect your husband (Col 3:18). 2. Do not make outrageous demands on them (be content). 3. Listen more and talk less (the tongue has caused a lot of harm. It is difficult but you can learn it). 4. Do not set your kids against your husband (they may turn against you tomorrow). 5. The success of a marriage depends heavily on you (make it work).

·      FOR PARENTS: 1. Be role models to your children. 2. Listen to your children and monitor them. 3. Create time for family get-togethers. 4. Befriend and earn the trust of your children. 5. Pray together so that you can stay together.

·      FOR CHILDREN: l. listen and honour your parents, so that your days may be long. 2. Obey your parents they will hardly mislead you. 3. Remember the numerous sacrifice of your parents, so do not abandon them.

·      Today we must ask ourselves; how have our actions and inactions led to the distortion of the original plan of God for marriage and family life. We must not say it is over until it is over (death). We can begin anew, we can spice up our marriage and family life again, we can make our marriage and family a model for others to emulate.

·      The Lord has blessed marriage as a means to salvation for those whom he has specially called to it, you are to make him the head of your family, the unseen guest at every meal, and the silent listener at every conversation, so that like the psalmist he may bless all the days of our life (Ps. 127:5).

·      Happy Sunday!!!