Gospel: Matthew 19: 3-12
The conversation in today's Gospel portion on divorce is one-sided and reflects the culture of those times. Only men could initiate divorce, and as we see implicitly in this passage most of the time divorce was initiated for light and transient causes by men. Meanwhile, women were forced to endure abusive relationships without any recourse to law. What is more, a divorced woman faced vulnerability, and divorce would create poverty and prostitution since marrying a divorced woman was frowned upon.
So, the disciples think celibacy is the solution. Our experience of that practice suggests otherwise. For it has created two groups of clerics: those who are not faithful to celibacy and philander freely, and those who are celibate but cover for those who are not. Secret families with children are maintained as people speak of the inestimable gift of celibacy while deriding the divorced and remarried mercilessly. The double standards are legion...
Jesus presents to us an ideal by which to live. He also offers us forgiveness and mercy when we fail to do so. The Samaritan woman married five times over was not condemned but instead became a means for many others to have a relationship with Jesus. If we are to allow professed celibates to not be so, we can find pathways for the divorced and remarried pathways to communion as well.
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