By focusing less on self-protection and more on helping others,

our own lives become deeply enriched.

This shift from defense to outward care brings

unexpected joy and deep personal growth.
 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63*

The word of Yahweh

Came to me in these terms, "Son of man, make known to Jerusalem its sins. You say on my behalf:

Your beginning was in Canaan; there, you were born. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.

On the day you were born, your cord was not cut; you were not bathed in water to make you clean;

you were not rubbed with salt, nor were you wrapped in cloth. There was no one to look with pity on you; (...)

But I passed by; and saw you, immersed in your blood. I said to you, in the midst of your blood,

"Live!" I made you grow, like a plant of the field. (...)

 

But you relied on your beauty; you trusted in your fame;

and you began to give yourself to every passerby, like a prostitute.

But I will remember my Covenant with you in the days of your youth and,

make in your favor, an eternal Covenant. So that you may remember, be ashamed,

and never open your mouth again, because of your humiliation,

when I have pardoned you for all you have done," word of Yahweh.

 

Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6

You have turned from your anger.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊     

Matthew 19:3-12

Some Pharisees approached him. They wanted to test him and asked,

"Is a man allowed to divorce his wife for any reason he wants?"

Jesus replied, "Have you not read that, in the beginning, the Creator made them male and female?

And the Creator said: Therefore, a man shall leave father and mother,

and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body.

So, they are no longer two, but one body. Let no one separate what God has joined."

 

They asked him, "Then why did Moses command us to write a bill of dismissal in order to divorce?"

Jesus replied, "Moses knew the hardness of your hearts, so he allowed you to divorce your wives;

but it was not so in the beginning. Therefore, I say to you: whoever divorces his wife,

unless it be for immorality, and marries another, commits adultery." 

 

The disciples said, "If that is the condition of a married man, it is better not to marry."

Jesus said to them, "Not everybody can accept what you have just said,

but only those who have received this gift. There are eunuchs born so from their mother's womb.

Some have been made that way by others. But there are some who have given up

the possibility of marriage, for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who can accept it, accept it."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

The richness of selfless love in any vocation.

Jesus' teaching on marriage and divorce invites us to reflect

on the sacredness and enduring nature of the marital covenant.

When the Pharisees question Him about divorce, Jesus redirects their attention to God's original plan

for marriage – a union so profound that the two become one flesh, bound together by divine will.

He emphasizes that this bond is not to be broken by human decision, underscoring the call to fidelity and self-giving love.

 

This teaching challenges us to view marriage not merely as a human arrangement

but as a sacred vocation that reflects God's unwavering love for His people.

While Jesus acknowledges human frailty in permitting divorce under certain conditions,

His words inspire us to strive for more profound commitment, forgiveness, and grace in our relationships.

 

For those called to marriage, this teaching serves as a guide to nurture unity and faithfulness.

For others, including those embracing celibacy, it reminds us of the richness of selfless love in any vocation,

a love that mirrors God's eternal covenant with humanity.