Texts taken from the Missalette “On Your Word” September-October 2021

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
3rd week of the Psalter

FIRST READING

From the Book of Genesis (Gen 2:18-24)
The Lord God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.” So the Lord God formed out of the ground all kinds of wild animals and all the birds of the sky, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each living creature was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals, but he did not find a suitable partner for himself. So the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The Lord God then built the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman. When he brought her to the man, the man said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of her man this one has been taken.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body. – The Word of the Lord.

Commentary on the First Reading

“It is not good for the man to be alone”: this is the revealing affirmation of the profound truth of the human person, created to come out of himself or herself to encounter the other. Human beings are called to enter into relationship with other creatures, a relationship of exchange, help, and respect. Being the guardian of the garden, with all its riches and splendor, is not enough. Nor is the task of naming the animals - an expression of the highest dignity to which God calls him - enough. Material things, commitments, and personal achievement do not satisfy him. Human beings need something more. Only when God creates man and woman do they find in each other a creature of equal dignity, capable of entering into an equal relationship, for mutual completion and a profound, vital exchange. They are of the same flesh and bones; therefore they can remain close, understand and support each other, and become life companions called to be fruitful and multiply. The union of man and woman has the purpose of continuing creation. The fundamental calling is to a life of love, relationship, and reciprocity.

SECOND READING

From the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 2:9-11)
Brothers and sisters, we see Jesus, who was made for a little while lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Indeed, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader who guides them to salvation perfect through suffering. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them brothers. – The Word of the Lord. 

Commentary on the Second Reading

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews meditates on the mystery of Christ. He is crowned with glory because of the death he suffered, so that he might taste it for the benefit of all. The Son chooses obedience to God and offers his life for humanity, whom, by virtue of the incarnation, he can call brothers and sisters. As a man, Jesus surrendered himself to the Father's will, destroying every possible doubt about his love for humanity. Thus, the Master's path is new: as true man, he loves and trusts in God without cracks or hesitation; as true God, he is the high priest able to offer himself as a “sacrifice,” infinitely more precious and pleasing to the Father. The perfection that humanity could not attain through its own strength, Christ attained. Therefore, we can set out behind him to live our personal obedience to the Father. We offer our days and, together with them, our fears; we offer our commitment and our witness; we also offer our sin and let God's grace transform it into an opportunity for conversion.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Mark (Mk 10:2-16)
At that time, some Pharisees approached Jesus and asked him, to test him, whether it was lawful for a husband to divorce his wife. But he said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a husband 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 [Dio] 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.” People were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them. – The Gospel of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel of the Day

Jesus intends to present again God's original plan for the couple, as expressed in the Book of Genesis. The Pharisees challenge him by questioning him about divorce, but he rebukes them, saying that Moses established this law because of the hardness of their hearts. Divorce is a form of separation, and this act, permitted by Moses, was intended to protect the woman from the man's arbitrary power. However, within the Jewish law of that time there was no equality between husband and wife: the woman was the man's property, like his other possessions, and had no right to her husband's fidelity, while he could not legally be accused of adultery against her. By denouncing this practice as an injustice toward women, the Lord shows concern for the weaker party; but that is not all! When he speaks of adultery, he establishes legal equality between husband and wife: at that time, this was absolutely unthinkable! Through his words, Jesus still astonishes and challenges us at the deepest level today. To understand God's law and put it into practice, including the law concerning marriage, we must trust in his Word.