Ord27 - Love is Forever (9:40)

Ordinary Time, 27th Sunday. Why does the Catholic Church refuse to accept divorce? Because Jesus told us that divorce is not possible. Once two have become one flesh, it is not humanly possible to separate them. What God has joined together, no human being must separate. Anyone who has been through a divorce, either as a child or as a spouse, knows that Jesus was telling the truth. The experience is like being ripped apart.

Jesus sides with the children. Children hate divorce because they believe in love. When children love you, they love you unconditionally. When young people fall in love, they want to be together forever. Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. The children "come to Jesus" when they discover God's love through their parents.

The good news here is our second reading: Even though we have not always been faithful in love, God has always been faithful to us. We have not loved as we should but God will never divorce us. Sometimes things work the other way. Instead of children discovering God through their parents, the unconditional love of a child teaches their parents about the love of God. Let us love one another as God has loved us.

(7 Oct 2012)