Book Reviews and More: Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time 2018

Sunday, 7 October 2018

Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time 2018

Twenty-Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time 2018

The readings for this weekend's mass are:

First Reading Genesis 2:7ab, 15, 18-24
Responsorial Psalm 128:1-5 Response 5
Second Reading Hebrews 2:9-11
Gospel Mark 10:2-16

Today’s readings speak primarily to relationship. The first reading and the gospel speak to marriage. The second reading to Jesus’s sonship and our being his brothers and sisters. From the genesis account we have the creation of Eve and the statement:

“Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

My first thought upon reading all of the reading today, was to think; ‘How many priests will speak on divorce this weekend? How man will speak about same sex attraction?’ I know these two teachings are not popular. Neither is preaching or teaching on premarital or extramarital sex. Sexual sin is the cause of a lot of the pain and suffering in the world today. But many, even those within the church do not want to talk about what the bible teaches, and the church believes.

My second thought was that we are called to love. We were created to love. First and foremost, love God, and though that to have the strength to love others. We are called to love all people. But we are not called to love all actions. In this politically correct environment truth is often over looked. In culture, in science and in relationships.

In the gospel Jesus was pretty blunt:

“Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. 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.’...”

I have friends who have been divorced, friends who practice alternative lifestyles. I love many of these people. But God’s word and the teaching of the church is clear.

This weekend many will hear sermons on the sonship, or sanctity of marriage. Or in Canada on Thanksgiving. But the full extent of the passages will likely be glossed over by most clergy. And in this political climate who am I to judge.

Please be praying for me and my family. And know that I pray for you my readers. And for my Canadian friends, family, and readers Happy Thanksgiving!