7th Week in Ord. Time, Friday – 25th February 2022 — Gospel: Mark 10,1-12
Hardness of Heart
In Jesus’ time, a man could divorce his wife for the slightest offense. In order to test Jesus, the Pharisees raised a question. In his response, Jesus answered that the reason why Moses’ law allowed divorce was only for the hardness of their hearts (Deut 24,1). A “hardened heart” is an attitude that is stubbornly self-centred. The Old Testament uses the term “stiff-necked,” describing someone who refuses to look around (Deut 9,6; 31,27; Neh 9,16-17.26). This attitude of “hard heartedness” is always directed at God and His will. Therefore, Jesus asserted that people have corrupted God’s definition of marriage. The sin of men who treat their wives unfairly started with the sin of not valuing God’s Word and His plan for humanity (Mk 10,7-9). Malachi, the last of God’s prophets, records God’s condemnation of the Israelites for dishonouring their wives (Mal 2,13-16). God intended the wife to be a companion, a covenant-holder, a partner in raising children. To be married is to have “a portion of the Spirit in their union” (Mal 2,15).
