Daily Readings - Sun Oct 03 2021

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.

Sermon

In today's readings, we explore themes of creation, unity, and the sacredness of relationships. The first reading from Genesis recounts the creation of man and woman, emphasizing their complementary roles and the union God intended for them. This story forms the foundation of human relationships, highlighting companionship and mutual support. The second reading from Hebrews reflects on Jesus' role in salvation, illustrating His solidarity with humanity and how He brings people together through grace. The Gospel from Mark presents Jesus' teaching on the indissolubility of marriage, rejecting the Mosaic allowance for divorce and reaffirming God's original plan for lifelong commitment. These readings connect through the theme of unity and God's plan. Genesis sets the stage by describing marriage as a divine institution, while Mark's Gospel reinforces this by emphasizing the permanence of marriage. Hebrews, though focused on salvation, underscores the unity Jesus brings, mirroring the unity in marriage. Together, they highlight God's design for relationships and community. In daily life, these teachings encourage us to cherish the sacrament of marriage and work towards strong, enduring relationships. They remind us of the importance of commitment and fidelity, not just in marriage but in all interactions. The readings also inspire us to reflect on how we can foster unity and solidarity, whether in our families, communities, or faith life. The moral lesson here is the sacredness of commitments and the call to mirror God's love and fidelity. By valuing our relationships and striving for unity, we embody the love and solidarity that Jesus exemplifies. This reflection invites us to nurture our connections, understanding them as part of God's larger plan for humanity.