Reflection: Matthew 5:27-32

Friday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time – Matthew 5:27-32

The words Jesus speaks in today’s Gospel may be difficult for many of us to hear.  He says, “You know the commandment which says, ‘Be faithful in marriage.’”  Naturally, Jesus was speaking specifically about being faithful to marriage vows.  However, His call to fidelity also encompasses religious vows, priesthood, and other permanent commitments.  I suspect that Jesus hopes that married couples will not simply be faithful to their marriage vows in a minimal way but that married couples also will strive to keep their commitment strong and their love deep.

In today’s world, everyday we hear of celebrity couples as well as couples we know who are separating and getting a divorce.  At times, this truly is the right choice.  However, I believe that a mindset has evolved over the past 10 or 20 years that if a “marriage is not working as I want it to work,” then it is time to move on.  In many cases this is true.  If abuse, anger, or unhealthy behaviors have destroyed a marriage, then getting a divorce or separating likely is a healthy choice.  However, we live in a disposable culture.  Many items that we buy have a short shelf life in our society.  Manufacturers may not use the best materials available due to cost, or they make their products to wear out sooner so that their customers need to buy replacements.  

This pattern of a disposable culture often transfers to other areas of our lives: such as a committed relationship, responsibility for children and other family members who need to be loved and cared for.  This also includes financial responsibility

Today, I invite you to take some time and ask yourself: How do I engage in this disposable culture with my family, my workplace, my community, my church? What and who might I consider disposable?  What do I consider inconvenient and so I choose not do what needs to be done?  

None of us want to be disposable to another individual, organization, or society; yet at times we also act as if other people are. Our culture encourages this daily.  We need to strengthen our culture, our world, and our lives with good and healthy values that encompass our planet and all of creation.  Hopefully, we will model these values every day of our lives by the choices we make.