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“Tobias with the Angel Raphael”
by Pietro Perugino, 1500-05
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Reading 1: Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a
Commentary on Tb 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a
This is the story of Tobiah, Tobit’s son (or Tobias in other translations). He and the Archangel Raphael come to the place where Sarah and her family live. We see that the Jewish customs related to marriage are followed. The warning about what has happened to Sarah’s seven previous husbands on their wedding night is delivered, but this union is ordained by God and so we see it contracted and consummated, the latter with prayer for deliverance which concludes the reading today.
Excluded from the story were Raphael’s instructions (somewhat mystical regarding the use of a fish liver and gall) and the Archangel's victory over the demon that had killed Sarah’s seven previous husbands. While this all seems fanciful, it is clear that prayer and divine intervention are the keys to Tobiah’s and Sarah’s successful marriage.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. (see 1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Commentary on Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
Psalm 128 is a song of thanksgiving. It begins here with the typical blessings given to those following and having faith in the Lord. This selection uses the analogy of the family and the blessing it brings to the faithful, using the symbolism of vines and olives, imagery commonly used in sacred scripture.
It also supports the creation of woman and the marriage theme in Genesis 2:18-25. It is the logical extension of the two becoming one flesh and the children flowing from that union.
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Gospel: Mark 12:28-34
In the continuing dialogue with the Sadducees from the Gospel of St. Mark, we find the questioner is impressed with the way Jesus handled the previous challenge by his colleagues (found in the previous verses). The Lord answers his question about the law with the Great Commandment, the opening of the Shema, the great Jewish Prayer, and then he follows that statement with the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (see also Leviticus 19:18). When the scholar clearly understands what Jesus is saying, the Lord tells him he is"... not far from the Kingdom of God" (see also the commentary on Matthew 22:34ff).
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Reflection:
“The sacrament of Matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the Church. It gives spouses the grace to love each other with the love with which Christ has loved his Church; the grace of the sacrament thus perfects the human love of the spouses, strengthens their indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on the way to eternal life.”[4]
This quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) takes its foundation from the scripture provided today. The union of man and wife, sharing their love for one another and sharing with each other the love of God, forms a three-way union that is unbreakable. When it is thought of in these terms, it is easy to see why the Church, in her wisdom, has perceived that, as the ritual of marriage states, “So then, what God has united, man must not divide” (Mark 10: 9).
This understanding has ironically driven many away from the Church. It has been a constant source of confusion, primarily because, in addition to the sacramental bond witnessed by the Church, there is also a wedding license issued by a governmental agency that establishes a civil contract.
When a couple, however well-intentioned at the onset of marriage, discovers that the sacramental bond described in the reference to the Catechism above and in scripture is found not to have existed (and this is important: because if it had it could not have been broken - reference the quote from Mark 10 above), they file for divorce which nullifies the civil contract. However, the Church witnessed before her altar, the pledge of love and the assurance of the couple that the sacramental bond existed. The civil proceeding that dissolves the contract between the couple does not address the spiritual union witnessed by the Church.
In the eyes of the Church, that bond still exists. The love of God is unbreakable. This is why each diocese has a Marriage Tribunal to investigate cases where the couple claims the sacramental bond did not exist. Does that mean the couple was never married? No, a civil contract was signed. The couple was married under civil law, and children born into that union have legal status under the law. What it does mean is that, until appropriate proofs are provided, the Church does not concede the sacramental bond did not exist from the beginning.
In cases where the couple has received a civil divorce, but has not satisfied the Church that the sacrament bond did not exist (the Church once satisfied will provide a Certificate of Nullity), they are not free to enter into another marital relationship until such certificates are issued. Does this mean the couple who have now separated may not receive other sacraments in the Church? No, so long as they are properly disposed to receive other sacraments, the love of God and the graces given in these sacraments may be received.
Pope Francis has proposed in his Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, that the process of allowing those who have not gone through the annulment process be re-examined. This, as when any major change in the way the Church does things, has caused a fire-storm of criticism. This debate may at some point change or relax this process. However, this will be a long and slow process since so many cultures will be affected and the mercy of Christ must be applied in a consistent way.
We rejoice in the love God shows us. In a special way we rejoice in the image of that love reflected in couples living the sacramental life in marriage. We pray for all who have entered into this unshakable bond that they continue to be a blessing to the Church and to all they meet.
Pax
[2] The picture used is “Tobias with the Angel Raphael” by Pietro Perugino, 1500-05
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