06 Oct 2018
It is not good for man/woman to be alone
Gospel Reflection: Mark 10:2-16
God has created us as relational. It is not good for us to be alone. This is an important message for us in this very individualistic age.
Jesus is asked if divorce is OK. His response is to recall God’s original vision for us. God made us for one another. For most people, this takes the shape of finding one special person and forming a special relationship. Those who are single also live in relationship with other people. Without such connection people become sick, both physically and mentally.
In Romania, under communist rule, many orphans were kept in institutions where they were deprived of human touch. Even though these children were fed and given enough to drink they became sick and some died. For human beings to live and thrive, they need touch, love, relationship.
However, the kind of relationship that people need is deep rather than superficial. Unfortunately, today, many people see relationships as almost a commodity. Something to be taken off the shelf and replaced when it no longer suits. This is not how God made us. For relationships to grow, they must pass through difficulty and struggle, confusion and understanding, forgiveness and reconciliation. Without working through the problems, relationships never deepen.
Jesus invites us to accept our need of deep relationship. That is not to say that sometimes relationships end. However, God’s dream for us remains deep, long-lasting, and life-giving relationships.
Fr Con O’Connell MSC