Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost: Proper 22: It Is About Relationships

Today's Scripture Readings

Genesis 2:18-24 (NRSV)

The LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,

"This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

this one shall be called Woman,

for out of Man this one was taken."

Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Psalm 8 (BCP, p. 592)


Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12 (NRSV)

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. But someone has testified somewhere,

"What are human beings that you are mindful of them,

or mortals, that you care for them?

You have made them for a little while lower than the angels;

you have crowned them with glory and honor,

subjecting all things under their feet."

Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying,

"I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters

in the midst of the congregation I will praise you."

Mark 10:2-16 (NRSV)

Some Pharisees came, and to test Jesus they asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her." But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Blog Reflection

This weekend, we are presented with some of those Scripture readings that are commonly used to defend "the traditional meaning of marriage."  We have heard a lot about marriage over these many years.  As lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender have been gaining the civil rights to marry the person they love, and in many religious organizations; the talk about marriage remains a divisive issue.  People are very passionate about what marriage means.  Whether people are on the side of marriage equality or not, the over riding theme is that marriage matters.  And well, it should.

I can still make the case, that trying to state what marriage means in light of the Bible is one of those things that has not just one, but many interpretations.  Much of this depends on whether the reader interprets what they read in the Bible as literal and the only fact of life.  Others, like myself who are Episcopalians and/or Anglicans use our three legged stool of Scripture, Tradition and Reason.   The Episcopal Church is not now, nor will it be a "sola scriptura" tradition meaning the Bible alone.   Therefore, we tend to view what we read in Scripture to have a meaning that goes beyond the written texts, to the heart of God and listening more deeply to the Holy Spirit.

The reading from Genesis is not a word for word description of how God created all human beings, nor marriage for that matter.  We must remind ourselves that marriage in the times in which these texts would have been produced, marriage was really not about procreation.  They are, however, a glimpse as to how the culture of that term viewed the genders of male and female.  Sexuality and marriage in the original context in which these texts were written, are about the male species dominating and subjugating females.  The mystery of procreation is certainly there, but, it is hidden beneath the historical and cultural context in which they were addressed.

Jesus in our reading from Mark's Gospel is confronting the same problem.  Marriage in his time was about a civil contract by which the woman as property of her father, was transferred to her husband.   Therefore, the context of adultery and bills of divorce are a reflection on how it worked.  Jesus' response while sadly depicted as Him sticking to the property idea; is actually saying something much deeper.   Marriage, regardless of gender or whether the people in the marriage can procreate or not, is about our relationship with one another in love, respect and upholding the dignity of the human person.   Marriage is a vision of the Christian Faith as those who are married (legally or as a matter of a Sacrament, or even symbolically), is a vision of how much God is so madly in love with us, that God gives us the duty and challenge of respecting the dignity of every human person.  It is about seeing in our spouse and every human being for that matter, as living in relationship with God and one another in such a way, that harming that other person at our will, is simply unthinkable.

These truths of our Christian Faith go beyond marriage and family.  They reflect the relationships we engage in (on whatever level), as valuing one another, because we are all a masterpiece of God's creation, redeemed through Jesus Christ and sustained by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus, the Incarnate Word shares with each of us, the beauty of God in the human flesh.  "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of a father's only son, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14. NRSV).  the glory of God came to us in Christ and embodied our flesh so that we may share in the relationship of the Divine God among our common humanity.  In this relationship, we are one with God and each other from the point of God's condescending love which unites us with the relationship of the God-Head in the Most Holy Trinity.

If we really want to support marriage and family, instead of focusing on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, etc.; we would do well to work on things like the equality of women in the work place.  Domestic violence is a far more serious danger to marriage and family than committed same-gender relationships.  Imagine how much better all family life would be, if we helped families and children of low income families get food assistance, better housing and employment opportunities and adequate health care.   Last, but, certainly not least, we desperately need to address this epidemic of gun violence that claims the lives of women, men and children crushing families and communities everywhere. 

In conclusion, let Christians remember that by our common baptism, we are all part of the Family of God.  We all have a responsibility to seek the common good for every person.  Every human being is in need of love, companionship, compassion and a sense of community.  What a different world it would be, if Christians saw relationships of all kinds, as opportunities for a deeper awareness of God's presence in all people, so we work for the ministry of healing and reconciliation. 

Thus freely loved, though fully known,
May I in Christ be free to welcome and accept his own
As Christ accepted me.  (Hymnal 1982 #603).

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to
hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire
or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid,
and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy
to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus
Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 22.  The Book of Common Prayer, p. 234).

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen.  (Prayer Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi.  The Book of Common Prayer, p. 833).