A reading from the gospel according to Mark 10:1-12:

1 Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom, he again taught them.
2 The Pharisees approached him and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him.
3 He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?”
4 They replied, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.”
5 But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment.
6 But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
7 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
8 and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh.
9 Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”
10 In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her;
12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Reflection: One Flesh

Not all marriages are made in heaven. Some are forced marriages and others are loveless marriages. Imagine a married couple who fights each other day and night or another couple with a third party or even fourth party who becomes a constant thorn in couple’s relationship. What an unhappy life the parties have! So the question of divorce comes up every time even in a Christian environment.

The immediate consequence of a broken family is broken relationship of its members. Although we can see happy faces even after a divorce, the wound of division is still carried on especially among children who are the first victims of a broken family. Perhaps this is the ultimate reason why Jesus is opposed to divorce.

Brokenness in the family mirrors our broken relationship with God. Jesus explains that Moses allowed divorce due to the hardness of the heart of the people. It is the same hardness of heart that prevented a lot of people from listening to the prophets and to Jesus Himself. It is very much the same reason why people nowadays do not listen to the gospel message of love and repentance.

Perhaps if couples learn to listen to each other and more importantly to God, the problem of divorce may not even be discussed. If they understand the meaning of being in one flesh and they maintain their oneness, the whole of humanity will be a real family with God as the one Father of all. Let us continue to pray for the survival and happiness of every family.

For further reflection, go here.