Daily Readings - Sun Oct 07 2018

⁷And then the Lord God formed man from the clay of the earth, and he breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul¹⁵Thus, the Lord God brought the man, and put him into the Paradise of enjoyment, so that it would be attended and preserved by him¹⁸The Lord God also said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. Let us make a helper for him similar to himself.¹⁹Therefore, the Lord God, having formed from the soil all the animals of the earth and all the flying creatures of the air, brought them to Adam, in order to see what he would call them. For whatever Adam would call any living creature, that would be its name²⁰And Adam called each of the living things by their names: all the flying creatures of the air, and all the wild beasts of the land. Yet truly, for Adam, there was not found a helper similar to himself²¹And so the Lord God sent a deep sleep upon Adam. And when he was fast asleep, he took one of his ribs, and he completed it with flesh for it²²And the Lord God built up the rib, which he took from Adam, into a woman. And he led her to Adam²³And Adam said: "Now this is bone from my bones, and flesh from my flesh. This one shall be called woman, because she was taken from man.²⁴For this reason, a man shall leave behind his father and mother, and he shall cling to his wife; and the two shall be as one flesh

Hebrews

Chapter 2

⁹Yet we understand that Jesus, who was reduced to a little less than the Angels, was crowned with glory and honor because of his Passion and death, in order that, by the grace of God, he might taste death for all¹⁰For it was fitting for him, because of whom and through whom all things exist, who had led many children into glory, to complete the authorship of their salvation through his Passion¹¹For he who sanctifies, and those who are sanctified, are all from One. For this reason, he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying

Mark

Chapter 10

²And approaching, the Pharisees questioned him, testing him: "Is it lawful for a man to dismiss his wife?³But in response, he said to them, "What did Moses instruct you?⁴And they said, "Moses gave permission to write a bill of divorce and to dismiss her.⁵But Jesus responded by saying: "It was due to the hardness of your heart that he wrote that precept for you⁶But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female⁷Because of this, a man shall leave behind his father and mother, and he shall cling to his wife⁸And these two shall be one in flesh. And so, they are now, not two, but one flesh⁹Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate.¹⁰And again, in the house, his disciples questioned him about the same thing¹¹And he said to them: "Whoever dismisses his wife, and marries another, commits adultery against her¹²And if a wife dismisses her husband, and is married to another, she commits adultery.¹³And they brought to him the little children, so that he might touch them. But the disciples admonished those who brought them¹⁴But when Jesus saw this, he took offense, and he said to them: "Allow the little ones to come to me, and do not prohibit them. For of such as these is the kingdom of God¹⁵Amen I say to you, whoever will not accept the kingdom of God like a little child, will not enter into it.¹⁶And embracing them, and laying his hands upon them, he blessed them

Sermon

In today's readings, we journey through the sacred narrative of creation, the mystery of salvation, and the teachings of Jesus, each offering profound insights into God's plan for humanity. The first reading from Genesis recounts the creation of man and woman, highlighting their unity and complementary roles as stewards of God's creation. This passage underscores the deep bond between man and woman, established by God, and serves as the foundation for understanding the sacrament of marriage. The second reading from Hebrews illuminates Jesus's role in salvation, emphasizing his humility and sacrifice. It reminds us that Jesus, though divine, took on human form to sanctify us, demonstrating the depth of God's love. In the Gospel, Jesus reaffirms the sanctity of marriage, citing Genesis, and teaches about the innocence and humility required to enter the Kingdom of God. These readings are intricately connected, as they all point to the unity and love that God intends for His creation. The Genesis narrative provides the theological basis for Jesus's teaching on marriage, showing that the union of man and woman is part of God's original design. Hebrews complements this by highlighting Jesus's role in restoring humanity's relationship with God, which is mirrored in the fidelity and love expected in marriage. Together, these readings invite us to reflect on the nature of relationships and our call to live in unity and love. In our daily lives, these teachings challenge us to cherish and uphold the sanctity of marriage, fostering fidelity, respect, and self-giving love. They also remind us of the importance of humility and innocence, qualities that allow us to approach God with openness and trust. As we navigate our relationships and spiritual journeys, may we draw inspiration from these readings to live with greater love, humility, and faithfulness, striving to reflect God's love in all we do.