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Word To Life
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Sunday Scripture Readings: Oct. 8, 2006
By Sharon K. Perkins
Catholic News Service
October 8, Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Cycle B Readings:
1) Genesis 2:18-24
Psalm 128:1-6
2) Hebrews 2:9-11
3) Gospel: Mark 10:2-16
"Actually, my siblings and I haven't spoken to each other in years." The young man across the desk from me had come to the parish office to talk about becoming a fully initiated Catholic through the RCIA process, and as the coordinator of the program I was conducting an initial interview. When we got around to talking about his family, I was a bit stunned by his admission.
Although my two brothers, my sister and I lived some distance from one another, we always had been rather close. I couldn't imagine going several months without contact, much less several years. But I was struck by a much deeper irony in the would-be Catholic's statements. As he chatted about the "family spirit" of the parish and how it had attracted him to consider Catholicism, I couldn't help but wonder what sort of family he was looking for.
Today's readings are full of family references -- husband and wife, parents and children, brothers and sisters, even grandchildren -- set in an unmistakable context of God-ordained blessing, fruitfulness, relationship and joy. By contrast, Jesus' hard sayings concerning divorce make the Gospel reading problematic in a "real world" in which divorce, child and elder abuse, and sibling estrangement are all too common. Such circumstances make it difficult to imagine how family life with its myriad imperfections and varied interpretations can be viewed as a window to God's goodness.
Yet Jesus reminds us that we are to accept the reign of God like children. My children continually surprise me with their willingness to forgive, to overlook my poor attempts at parenting, to magnify the good and minimize the not-so-good qualities of our family life. My family's remarkable resilience and loyalty -- despite and through heartache, misunderstanding and even the occasional arguing -- teach me more deeply about God's faithfulness than any other relationships I have experienced.
No one should allow himself or herself to be abused by a family member or anyone else. But today's readings challenge us to recognize and repent of the "hardness of heart" that prevents our encountering God in the sacred spaces of family life.
QUESTIONS:
In what way have your family relationships been difficult lately? How has your hardness of heart kept you from seeing God's blessing in another family member?
SCRIPTURE TO BE ILLUSTRATED:
"It is not good for the man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18).
END
Copyright © 2006 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS Word To Life column may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service.
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