Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
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October 1, 2021October 3, 2021
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gn 2:18-24
Heb 2:9-11
Mk 10:2-16 or 10:2-12
GROW AS A DISCIPLE | PRAY, STUDY, ENGAGE, SERVE
GROW: Social media certainly has its downsides, but it’s a wonderful way to keep up with friends and family. Lately, I’ve noticed a number of wedding day snapshots – with couples finally able to celebrate their “big day” as pandemic restrictions have eased. Today’s readings bring these beautiful images to mind. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples about marriage: “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.” While the readings focus on the relationship between man and woman, we are reminded that God created all of us – no matter our state in life – to love one another as he loves us. The capacity to love is in our DNA. Jesus invites us to be companions on life’s journey, reflecting to others Christ’s love for the Church.
GO EVANGELIZE | PRAYER, INVITATION, WITNESS, ACCOMPANIMENT
GO: Each year in October, our diocese invites married couples to a “Wedding Anniversary Mass.” Friends and family are invited to join them as they celebrate milestone anniversaries – whether it be 5 years or 50. Just as we celebrate newlyweds, it’s nice to recognize these couples – and the love that has endured well after the honeymoon ended. Just as they witnessed their love for one another on their wedding day, they have continued to do so through the ensuing years by their example. Despite the inevitable hardships, they cling to one another; through disagreements and quarrels, they find a way back to each other – and I suspect they laugh together too. By sharing their stories we, too, can witness to others a love that endures through thick and thin. In doing so, we help build up our families, our communities, and our Church.
ACTION: You may have heard of The Moth, a popular storytelling platform. Each of us has a story to tell, and recording family “love stories” can be a fun way to witness to our children and grandchildren what good relationships look like. Take some time to interview your parents or others in your extended family about how they met, how they’ve overcome the challenges they have faced as a couple, and how they have kept God at the center.
