Daily Readings - Sun Oct 03 2021

⁷And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.¹⁵And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.¹⁸And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.¹⁹And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.²⁰And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.²¹And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;²²And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.²³And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.²⁴Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Hebrews

Chapter 2

⁹But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.¹⁰For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.¹¹For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Mark

Chapter 10

²And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.³And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?⁴And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.⁵And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.⁶But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.⁷For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;⁸And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.⁹What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.¹⁰And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.¹¹And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.¹²And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth 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.