The Sacred Divinity of Friendship and Marriage
“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” ~ Mignon McLaughlin
The complex topics of friendship and marriage are tackled in today’s 1st Reading (Sirach 6:5-17) and Gospel (Mark 10:1-12) respectively, which of course allow us to reflect upon these passages in the context of modern day life.
Sirach advises us to choose our close friends very wisely, for the repercussions of failing to do so are great; wise words from a man who didn’t even live long enough to see or experience social media shaming or any if its consequences, not to mention being uninvited to work place happy hours and water cooler scuttlebutt. “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter” he tells us, going on to conclude that “he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy,
such as he who fears God finds.” One can see why this type of relationship is so rare and hard to come by.
in our Gospel today (Mark 10:1-12), Jesus defines the fundamental sacredness and beauty of marriage, a true sacramental covenant where two become one. It would certainly appear as though the authentic and selfless love as outlined by this definition of marriage has been compromised in recent years. For that matter, it wasn’t that long ago that we woke up one morning to find out that the definition of this very union itself, one man and one woman, had changed.
It would seem as though those marriages that succeed, that thrive even, are rooted in something discernibly different than most. Those couples who are untied in this sacramental covenant before God and his people seem to grasp the very simple concept that their marriage is not about them; it is about God and about serving God’s purposes. That it truly is a vocation, a divine and sacred calling. It would also seem as though these blessed couples have taken to heart the words of Sirach in today’s 1st Reading and have first found that one in one thousand person whom they can call a genuine, trusted and treasured friend.
Let’s say a prayer today for those among us who are married or soon to be married. And let us thank God for the great and unique gift of true friendship as well.
“May the days of your marriage be joyous and rich. May you find shelter and safety in each other’s arms, respect and reverence in each other’s heart. May your friendship be faithful and firm, your trust total. And may you remain young at heart as you grow old together.” ~ Amen
