Mark 10 : 2 - 16
NRSV Translations
2Some testing him, asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"
3He answered them, "What did Moses command you?"
4They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her."
5-9But Jesus said to them, "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, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
10-12Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 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."
13-16 People were bringing children to him in order that he might touch them, and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
REFLECTIONS:
Thoughts from John:
In the days of Moses, a divorce certificate would have made it more difficult to end a marriage, not easier. It’s an extra, “bureaucratic” step so that a man can’t just abandon his wife on a whim. But Jesus’ audience misses this point and with a bad-faith argument say, “See! Permission to divorce!”
Jesus calls their bluff and reminds them: the way of God is toward relationship, not away. If we want to be like God, we can’t go looking for excuses to end our commitments. And we certainly can’t choose to view others, especially our partners, as objects whose only value is our own satisfaction.
No wonder Jesus was so adamant about welcoming the kids too. Kids are inconvenient! They get in the way. They are loud. They don’t understand or care about the rules of the adult world. The way of kids requires that our priorities shift away from ease and comfort toward a more inefficient love: a Love that has space for everyone. always.
May we so receive. And find ourselves so received.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
What are some tasks that you have been putting off that others are depending on you to accomplish? This week, commitment yourself to finishing those tasks.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
How do you maintain self-empathy in challenging moments?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Enthusiasm (Praising and celebrating God’s goodness):
When life is good, to whom do you say “thank you?” This week, practice writing three things each day that you are grateful for. Offer your thanks to God.
Questions for Reflection
Are there any individuals in your life that could use more connection? Do you have capacity to offer any of that connection?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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