Readings:
Sermon:
For many people today’s Gospel reading from Mark chapter 10 will undoubtedly touch some very sensitive and maybe painful aspects of life. Jesus’ overriding purpose in his teaching, in his life and in his death and resurrection was one of compassion, love and forgiveness.
So in that spirit of compassion let’s think on Jesus teaching on divorce and on children.
In a marriage service, once the vows have been said and rings given and received, the priest proclaims the couple Husband and Wife and we hear words from this passage, “What God has joined together, let no-one separate.” This is the ideal from the beginning of creation. A new life has begun – one that is greater than the two that were present before.
In the reading today some Pharisees have come to question Jesus about divorce and, as he does on other occasions, he turns the question round to those who asked it. “What did Moses command you?” he asks.
Their response is to quote from the Torah that a man may divorce a woman if she does not please him in some way. Jesus explains to them that this was a concession from God because God knows that humanity cannot live up to the ideals required by God. God showed compassion instead of enforcing rigid rules to make two people live together when the relationship had broken down.
By the time of Jesus there were arguments again about what that breakdown could be with everything from adultery to cooking bad food – it was this male dominated abuse of the law that Jesus wanted to address because divorce meant the woman would be vulnerable, unprotected and without financial support. Jesus always spoke up for and protected the most vulnerable.
Later when Jesus speaks to his disciples he does not condemn divorce as such. But now Jesus says something that can be very painful for some divorced people to hear – I am paraphrasing to be inclusive here – ‘Anyone who divorces their husband or wife and marries another is committing adultery’. This line, taken out of context, has caused people to not pursue a life with someone else…a life that would aim to live up to God’s ideal.
What Jesus is saying though is that if the real reason for the divorce is to be free to marry another then that is adultery. Jesus is pushing back against the male dominated abuse of the rules on divorce…but also careful to include women in the expectations of the kingdom of God.
A kingdom that is welcoming and loving, that has compassion and forgiveness at its centre – God, Jesus at its centre.
And it is that centre to which the children in today’s Gospel came. And while the disciples tried to keep them away, Jesus welcomes them. He then says ‘Anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.’
The children represent how each of us should come to Jesus - seeking something new, being open to stories, willing to love. But the disciples actions, perhaps, represent how humans react when they’ve got something good – often wanting to keep it to themselves, not share and not tell others about it.
If we can be like children in a playground, inviting others to come and play with us, sharing their toys, looking for the ones who are alone, helping those who are hurt, finding new friends – then we come a step closer to God’s Kingdom.
It’s not about being child-like but by being as open as children means being as welcoming as Jesus; and by being welcoming, a relationship can be built with other people…we can love our neighbour.
The ideal relationship between two people described in Genesis that Jesus refers to in today’s Gospel, is a metaphor for the relationship between God and humanity. God knows that humanity is flawed, humanity turns away from God…but God is compassionate and does not divorce humanity. That’s why Jesus came, to restore that relationship…to create a new life that is greater than anything humanity had previously experienced.
A life to which we are all invited and all welcome.
Questions:
- What might it be like to be as welcoming as a child?
- In what ways might compassion for others deepen your relationship with God?