By Fr. Andrew Kelly
27TH SUNDAY ORDINAL TIME – OCT. 7
Believing communities have always struggled trying to be faithful to Jesus’ teaching on marriage as narrated in Sunday’s Gospel (Mark 10:2-16:)
“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.”
Believers believe marriage is a gift, difficult as it is. Believers also believe that God’s kingdom is a gift as described in Jesus’ welcoming of the children:
“…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.”
Children are powerless and totally dependent. They live by faith trusting they will be taken care of. Children know how to receive gifts, such as God’s kingdom.
For believers, is there a spiritual connection between the gifts of marriage and the kingdom?
Maybe marriages work among believers because they have prayerfully developed trusting faith in the kingdom gift, like the little children Jesus touched and embraced.
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)
Scripture Readings for Oct. 7-14
Sunday
Gn 2:18-24
Heb 2:9-11
Mk 10:2-16 or Mk 10:2-12
Monday
Gal 1:6-12
Lk 10:25-37
Tuesday
Gal 1:13-24
Lk 10:38-42
Wednesday
Gal 2:1-2, 7-14
Lk 11:1-4
Thursday
Gal 3:1-5
Lk 11:5-13
Friday
Gal 3:7-14
Lk 11:15-26
Saturday
Gal 3:22-29
Lk 11:27-28
Sunday
Wis 7:7-11
Heb 4:12-13
Mk 10:17-30 or Mk 10:17-27