27th Sunday - Fr. Leo
When I approach the stories of creation in Genesis, to understand them, I remind myself that it is written in the genre of Myth. By understanding it as Myth, is not to say it is untrue. It is true, but in a different way than we would understand historical truth or scientific truth. Those later disciplines did exist in the time Genesis was written.
There are several truths in our short passage today. One, God created all things and let us name them. This truth is anachronistic in the sense all of this took place before language, oral and written were around. So, the writer looks back and can see God’s role and the role he gave to man. (Animals weren’t born with species name tags, I am a Zebra, I am an Elephant.)
The second truth that is made very clear is that man needed a suitable mate. The animals wouldn’t do, thank God. So woman was created and man proclaimed, “This one, at last, is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone. There was no question she was suitable, and human nature has affirmed this attraction for most since the beginning of time as we know it.
The creation of woman from man’s rib, need not be seen as making women second class. They categorically are not. Each sex compliments the other with their own unique gifts brought to the relationship. The “rib” is a way to describe how natural it is for men and women to love each other and bring children into the world. Thus, they leave their parental homes to create their own.
In our second reading from Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, we read, ‘He “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.’ This sentence may help us understand why we say in our creed, “He descended into hell, an on the third day rose again from the dead.”
If Jesus is to be our savior, he must enter into the fullness of the human experience. His victory comes from rising from hell and entering heaven. This is how he won our salvation. He concurred sin and death that we could follow him and share in His glory. Jesus humbled himself, but was at every moment the Son of God.
Our gospel today reaffirms what we hear in our first reading from Genesis. Marriage makes a couple one. The relationship is made sacred by the faith of husband and wife. Thus, a true marriage will bond two people in the good times, and the bad times, in sickness and in health. This takes a living faith that is practiced. Healthy relationships, just like heathy bodies and minds, don’t just happen. With the -grace of God we overcome the “Original Sin” that can cause disruption.
It is a fact that couples who have faith are far less likely to separate. I pray for this for all couples so they can live in joy and so their children will have a “Christ figure” to embrace them and bless them in their lives. In short, A healthy marital relationship is the best gift any couple can give to their children.
Let us bless the Lord, and thank him for his goodness!