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First Reading: Genesis 2:18-24
The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him." So the LORD God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man. So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called 'woman, ' for out of 'her man'this one has been taken." That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 128:1-2,3,4-5,6
R./ May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R./ May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R./ May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R./ May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
May you see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel!
R./ May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Second Reading: Hebrews 2:9-11
Brothers and sisters:
He "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels, "
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
For it was fitting that he,
for whom and through whom all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.
He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated
all have one origin.
Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them "brothers."
Gospel Reading: Mark 10:2-16 (or 10:2-12)
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
"Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?"
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?"
They replied,
"Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her."
But Jesus told them,
"Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment.
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,
no human being must separate."
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
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."
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
"Let the children come to me;
do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to
such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it."
Then he embraced them and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.
God has joined together what He willed to be joined together. Let no man put asunder what God has joined together.
My dear friends, I bring you greetings and best wishes for peace and good.
It is an undeniable fact that difficulties in marriage are a common occurrence in every age. This is not a new phenomenon. This has been the case throughout history, from the time of Moses to the time of Jesus and right up to the present day. Building a life project together with one person for life is not easy. Furthermore, civil laws have only recently begun to guarantee equality between men and women. There were stark differences between the sexes.
Today’s readings reveal God’s plan for marriage. In this union, there are no differences. The two complement each other, the woman is similar to the man and is given as a helpmate. These two words, ‘like’ and ‘help’, show us how God understands the woman. Both are equal and together they continue the work of the Lord. Without the woman, the man is incomplete. Together, they are in paradise.
The problem arises when selfishness takes over and love is replaced by a sense of entitlement. When this happens, the other person is no longer seen as an equal, but as a thing. Communication is lost and decisions are no longer made together, little by little. Sometimes, the other is even hurt, physically or psychologically, and both become lonely again, without company, which makes them both unhappy. Extramarital affairs inevitably arise, and couples move further and further away from God’s plan.
Other problems in achieving happiness are simple cohabitation or pre-marital relationships. These do not offer the full and definitive commitment that the book of Genesis speaks of, namely ‘for life, with one person’. If we are talking about true love, there must be a greater commitment than just a passing attraction. The Church reminds us of these things in preparation for marriage because they are important.
Let us begin reading from the Letter to the Hebrews. We will listen to it until the end of the liturgical year. It was long attributed to the Apostle Paul, but the authors have now definitively disproved his authorship. This is not just a letter. It is a homily, designed to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our brother, who sympathises with our problems and weaknesses and knows what it is to suffer. He obeyed the Father’s will and died on a cross. He did not find it easy to follow the path laid out by the Father, and neither do we.
The questions to Jesus are designed to trap him. They put him between the sword of the Law of Moses and the wall of God’s love. The Pharisees told him that divorce was permitted, as did the people. The reasons for such a decision had become increasingly diverse, ranging from infidelity to an inadequately prepared meal.
The Act of Repudiation that Moses prescribed gave women a second chance. They would not be accused of adultery if they were joined to another man. We know for a fact that the penalty for adultery was death by stoning. There is a slight improvement in the status of wives. Jesus challenges the conventional wisdom of his people by denying any possibility of divorce, asserting that it is outside the plan of God. Men have introduced repudiation, which destroys the unity willed by the Creator.
Jesus presents to his contemporaries the original plan of God, which is clear: divorce is not allowed. The love between spouses is the foundation of marriage. It is a love that is expressed through mutual self-giving, sacrifice for each other, bearing and raising children, and forming a family. This is the original plan of God. He will be at the side of those who begin this journey, accompanying them, helping them to overcome difficulties, so that they may be a mirror of divine love and may be faithful and happy.
We must ask ourselves how we can ensure that our life project remains intact despite infidelity, routine and indifference. It is crucial to remember the values that must be nurtured daily in the couple: fidelity, daily care for affection and coexistence, listening, forgiveness… This is how we walk the path together. Pray together and feel God’s support in crises and difficulties. The Eucharist is the most important prayer. The Eucharist is the perfect opportunity for us to remember the incredible love of God and to nourish our own vocation to love as spouses.
The Gospel ends with a message about children. We must become like children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s not about being childlike. It’s about having the capacity of children to learn permanently. You must feel the curiosity to keep asking questions, be interested in seeing everything from a different point of view and rejoice in the little things. And we must quickly forget offences and forgive. Children can teach us many things that help us get closer to God. We mustn’t think we know everything, or that we know everything about others, including our spouse. We must let God be God, with his own rhythms and times, but we must trust. We must live like a child in its mother’s arms. We can and we will live like this. It will be a win-win situation.
Your brother in faith,
Greetings
All praise be to God our Father
for creating people in his likeness
and making them capable of faithfulness
through the self-giving love of his Son
and the unifying power of the Spirit.
May the Lord be always with you in his love.
R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
A. They Become One
The first pages of the Bible tell us that God created man and woman in his own image. That means that God, who is love, wanted to unite them in the bond of love and make them live for the love of each other. That is how it was in the beginning. And that is how it should be still now. When Jesus came, he made the bond between husbands and wives even more sacred, assuring them of God's grace. Are people faithful to their yes given in the presence of God and the Church? Let us ask the Lord today for faithfulness and deep, deep love between our married couples - and for all our friendships.
B. May Our Love Last
The ardent wish of husband and wife on their day of marriage is: may our love last! This is not only God's wish for them but his very command. He wants their union in love to be like his own love for his people: faithful, strong, lasting, a covenant love. With all married couples, with all those bound together in friendship, with all our Christian communities we stand before the Lord today and we ask: May our love for one another be strong, reliable, faithful.
Penitential Act
We ask the Lord for forgiveness
that our loves have not been strong and lasting.
(PAUSE)
Have mercy, Lord Jesus,
on homes where love is dying,
where husband and wife are becoming estranged:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy, Lord,
on homes broken by infidelity,
on couples who can no longer forgive each other:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Have mercy, Lord,
on homes where there is little or no love,
on couples who have no time for their children:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on all of us, Lord,
and forgive us our sins against love.
Let our homes and communities
reflect your faithful love
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray that our love
may be strong and faithful
(PAUSE)
God, source of all love,
blessed are you for your tenderness
inscribed in the hearts of people;
blessed are you for giving us your Son
as the token of your faithful love.
Keep us from separating
what you have united:
husbands and wives,
parents and their children,
your Son and his Church,
friends in their joys and sorrows.
Let us all live in your creative, lasting love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction: Created for Love
Men and women are destined not for selfish loneliness but for building community in faithfulness and unifying love.
Gospel Introduction: Love Is Faithful
In God's plan marriage is, beyond human legalisms, an unbreakable union of love and fidelity. The love of husband and wife will live on in their children.
General Intercessions
Let us pray to God our Father that he may complete in us his work of love and faithfulness, and let us say: R/ Lord, keep us in your love.
- For the Church, the bride of Christ, that she may always be faithful to the message of the gospel and the liberating love of Christ, let us pray: R/ Lord, keep us in your love.
- For the homes built on unselfish love, that through them we may understand better all the depth of God's love, let us pray: R/ Lord, keep us in your love.
- For homes that are broken and for partners who have failed each other, that people may show them understanding and that God may give them mercy, let us pray: R/ Lord, keep us in your love.
- For the young who prepare for marriage, that they may learn from life that the depth and beauty of love rest on generosity and sharing, let us pray: R/ Lord, keep us in your love.
- For those who have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of God, that they may never become loners but that their hearts may be spacious and warm, open to all people and to all needs, let us pray: R/ Lord, keep us in your love.
Our God and Father, be present with all your faithfulness wherever people come together to build communities of love and friendship. Build with us, that our love may endure, now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Our God and Father,
confirm your covenant with us
through the bread and the cup
which we bring before you.
Let your Son stay with us
and make us keepers
of one another's happiness.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
With joy and gratitude we praise our Father in heaven for the great love he has shown us. He is the source of all love among us and the Holy Spirit keeps this love alive in our homes and in our communities.
Invitation to the Lord's Prayer
We have a loving Father in heaven.
To him we pray
in the words of Jesus himself: R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil
and grant us the capacity to love
without conditions or compromise.
Give us a love that stays faithful
and grows deeper in days of trial.
Keep us free from all fear
of committing ourselves to one another,
as we wait in joyful hope
for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is the Lamb of God
whose love was faithful to the end.
He sacrificed himself
to give us the courage
to love without measure.
Happy are we
to be called to his supper. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Thanksgiving of Married Couples
Married couples could pray together the following prayer
taken from the fourth preface for marriage in the French missal.
Our God and Father,
it is right and good that we give you glory
and offer you our praise.
For you have made man and woman your image
and have placed in their hearts
the love that binds them to one another,
that they may always be one.
You tell them that in the pains and joys of their life,
in days of weariness and wonder,
you are near to them.
Through the communion of their love and destiny
you make your own life grow in them,
until the day you will fulfill all their hopes
in Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. R/ Amen.
Prayer after Communion
Our God and Father
you have entrusted love to us
not as a finished product
but as an assignment for life.
Let the love of your Son invest our love
with indestructible fidelity and generosity,
that it may weather all storms
and keep growing in depth,
until you crown it with your joy
that lasts for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
Bow your heads and pray for God's blessing.
God is the source and strength of all love.
May he bless our Christian families
with happiness and faithfulness. R/ Amen.
May he bless our Christian communities
with unity and peace
and make us one heart and soul. R/ Amen.
May he give to all of us
a love that brings out the best in each other. R/ Amen.
May God bless you all
and keep his love alive in you:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go in the love of the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God.
