Daily Readings - Sun Oct 06 2024
Genesis
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
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
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of relationships, marriage, and God’s plan for humanity. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear the beautiful account of creation, where God forms man and woman and establishes the union of marriage. Adam recognizes Eve as “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh,” and the text emphasizes that the two become “one flesh.” This passage reminds us that marriage is not merely a human institution but a divine gift, rooted in God’s design for companionship and mutual support. The second reading from Hebrews shifts our focus to Jesus, who shares our humanity and sanctifies us through his Passion. It highlights the deep solidarity between Christ and his people, emphasizing that he is not ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters. Finally, in the Gospel, Jesus teaches about the indissolubility of marriage, rejecting the idea of divorce and calling us to fidelity and perseverance in relationships.
These readings are deeply connected. The Genesis account provides the theological foundation for Jesus’ teaching on marriage, showing that the union of man and woman is part of God’s original plan. Jesus’ response to the Pharisees in the Gospel is not just a legal or cultural commentary but a return to the divine intent for marriage as a lifelong, unbreakable bond. The passage from Hebrews, meanwhile, reminds us that our relationships with one another—whether in marriage or in the broader family of faith—are transformed by Christ’s work of salvation. Through his Passion, Jesus has sanctified humanity, enabling us to live out our relationships in a way that reflects God’s love and fidelity.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to reexamine our commitments and relationships. Marriage, as depicted in Genesis and reaffirmed by Jesus, is a sacred vocation that requires patience, forgiveness, and self-giving love. For those not married, the readings still speak to the importance of fidelity and perseverance in all relationships. We are reminded that every relationship—whether familial, marital, or communal—is a reflection of God’s love and a means of growing in holiness. Let us ask for the grace to live out our relationships with the same fidelity and love that Christ has shown us, trusting in his plan and design for our lives.