Breaking the Word – Page 2336 – Rev. Dr. Victor Antonyraj SDB

25.02.11 ORIGINAL PLAN OF GOD

Posted under Reflections on February 24th, 2011 by

He set out from there and went into the district of Judea (and) across the Jordan. Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom, he again taught them.The Pharisees approached and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted him to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. 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, no human being must separate." In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." (Mk 10:1-12)

The Pharisees approached Jesus and questioned him to test him. Do they want to put him in prison as they did with John the Baptist? It could be so. For John the Baptist questioned Herod for marrying his brother’s wife. (Herodias probably divorced her husband Philip to marry Herod). The Pharisees want to put Jesus also against Jesus and thus put him in prison or get rid of him.

Jesus realizes that there is a trap. The Pharisees quote Moses regarding divorce. Moses does not command or encourage divorce but permits it. In his argument Jesus goes back to the time of creation. It is here that the will of God is revealed. Creation story is found in the book of creation and both Jesus and the Pharisees believed that Moses wrote the book of Genesis. In this the bond that exists between husband and wife is not one of partnership or a working relationship but it is a new entity.

The problem is not with the ideal (as God wanted it) or with the law but with the people. The people are hardhearted. Jesus gives only one remedy for this hardheartedness. The remedy is only in returning to the original intention of the Creator God. It is to return to the original plan of God. Jesus has come to re-establish the original plan of God in his proposal “the kingdom of God”.

24.02.11 PEACE IS THE FLAVOUR OF DISCIPLES

Posted under Reflections on February 23rd, 2011 by

Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe (in me) to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another." (Mk 9:41-50)

These saying remind the listeners that discipleship is very difficult. It demands sacrifices. These are indeed challenges to those who say that following Jesus is to find complete personal fulfilment and satisfaction. There is a war between God and the power of evil. The follower should keep in mind that he is constantly challenged to choose God.

What we are asked to give up is not something sinful. Of course we should reject sin. But we should be ready to reject something which is good and God-given (like hand, feet and eyes). These are to be rejected because they to wrong path, though they are good in themselves.

Salt purifies; so does fire. The disciples are asked to be salt of the earth. They should not lose their flavour and should not become worthless. They should live in peace with themselves and with the others. Living in peace is the flavour of the disciples of Jesus.