October 6, 2024
October 6, 2024
In Mark, Jesus is confronted with a question about failure. The Pharisees wanted to test him on knowledge of the law. The Pharisee’s hope was that Jesus will give an answer which would build their case of blasphemy against this teacher, who was causing such grief to their comfortable system. Jesus’ answer turns them back to Moses, the bearer of the law. Jesus informs them that the law allowing a divorce was given because of their hardness of heart, not because of the desire of G_d for their lives. Failure was due to the desire to quit by half of a divinely created union, in most cases in antiquity, the man’s desire.
In Eden, G_d had seen man going through his day unfulfilled. Adam did not complain about his life, but the Creator knew that the first man went to sleep each day feeling that something was missing from his work and his world. Once while the man slept, G_d took a rib from Adam to continue Creation, to add that which was missing. Jesus goes beyond the legalism of the Pharisees to address sin with his disciples. Jesus does not replace one legalism with another, rather he anchors marriage in creation. Marriage is not just a social convention, something one moves into or out of at a whim. Jesus reminds the disciples that G_d’s created union produces children. Jesus elevates the children of G_d and elevates childlikeness.
We are not made to be alone. Together, we are not only one flesh to receive the children of Creation and their trusting nature, but we are to trust, to open our union, and to work on love. Children come to creation, their parents, and their Creator with up raised hands of acceptance. The disciples and we must mirror that acceptance. Jesus turns us to the ultimate question, not “who I am, but who I am in relationship to G_d, and others?” Our actions should always be towards excellence, but any action which denies what G_d has made and what G_d wills, is sin. Sin is living, as if the Creator is not.
G_d made us for many reasons, not only to offer our best to the world, not only to give friendship to a woman or a man, but also to secure a safe and nurturing environment for our children, and all children. Our intentions may fail. Efforts may fail. Marriages may fail, and we may flinch and recoil when we hear our sin defined. We may plead to justify what we have done, but in the end, we kneel, we confess to G_d in thanksgiving for the good, and in penitence for the bad. Prayers to the One True G_d, who, while not lessening our sinfulness, does forgive our failures. Forgiveness magnifying His grace.
Pax,
jbt
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