Eternal Marriage In Yahweh 在上主內的永恆婚姻

Twenty-First Ordinary Sunday, Year B
Theme: Eternal Marriage In Yahweh 在上主內的永恆婚姻

We make a lot of choices throughout our life. Some choices are insignificant but others are fundamental whose effects are prolonged and probably permanent. For example, between our career and our spouse, as a Catholic, marital choices are more fundamental than career choices. We may change jobs relatively frequently according to the market fluctuations, but our marriages terminate only at death, no matter how rough our marital life has gone through. When we take eternal life into consideration, marriages on earth might continue forever and ever in eternity. Can we afford to choose casually? On the other hand, martyrs choose sacrificing their lives without reservation for their convictions, such as treasure hunting, defending doctrines, overthrowing tyrants and fighting for independence etc. These are examples of fundamental choices in which our lives are at stake. Considered in this light, do you agree that marriage is also a form of martyrdom, or vice versa?

Reflecting on the events in the Old Testament, we see that it took the Israelites a long time to choose worshiping Yahweh to the exclusion of other gods. They have never been a powerful kingdom nor an empire from which neighbouring countries would want to imitate. In order to live among resourceful and powerful neighbour, they were not eager to insist on their religious customs. In the first reading today, we may be able to take a glimpse of what religious life was like by the time they entered and occupied the Promised Land. In his parting speech, Joshua says, “If it is displeasing to you to serve the LORD, choose today whom you will serve, the gods your ancestors served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15). In other words, the Israelites began their existence in Mesopotamia [“beyond the River”], a polytheistic land, then settled in Egypt, another piece of polytheistic land for more than 400 years to breed and multiply and lastly settled in Canaan [“Amorites”], the Promised Land, yet another piece of polytheistic land. After conquering and dividing the Promised Land, Joshua made it clear his fundamental choice. He, his household and their future generations would serve only one God, Yahweh. Joshua’s choice was progressive because polytheism is conducive to the division of a community whereas, monotheism advocates solidarity!

We may think of the forty-year Exodus as a journey from shedding polytheism to embracing monotheism. Through His agents Moses and Aaron, Yahweh worked Ten Plagues to wreak havoc on the economy of Egypt and lastly to destroy the Egyptian military machine in the Red Sea. The Hebrew slaves were eye-witnesses to the power of Yahweh. However, they had previously spent more than four centuries in this polytheistic land. It was unrealistic to demand them to give polytheism up overnight. The Golden Calf incident illustrates the situation clearly. Seeing that Moses had been missing for too long on Mount Sinai, they resorted to building a Golden Calf to lead them back to Egypt, the house of slavery (Exodus 32:1). With the intercession of Moses, Yahweh did not destroy the Hebrew slaves immediately. They would wander in the wilderness for forty years to die out instead. Thus, those who conquered and settled in the Promised Land were second generation liberated Hebrew slaves to whom Joshua was speaking today. How did they answer Joshua? They say, “It was the LORD, our God, who brought us and our ancestors up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. He performed those great signs before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey and among all the peoples through whom we passed” (Joshua 24:17). The “our ancestors” refers to the Hebrew slaves who grew up in Egypt and subsequently liberated by Moses.

So what other miracles did this second generation liberated Hebrew slaves see? Moses struck the rock in Horeb to obtain water for the people to drink for the first time (Exodus 17:6). After establishing the Covenant with Yahweh on Mount Sinai and the Golden Calf incident, they continued their wandering until they reached Kadesh. People again complained about the lack of water supply. There, Moses struck the rock to obtain water for the second time (Numbers 20:11). Some first generation liberated Hebrew slaves had died for sure. Entering Canaan were second generation liberated Hebrew slaves. They saw Joshua separate the water of River Jordan for them to cross, like what Moses had done to the Red Sea (Joshua 3:14-17). They saw how the wall of Jericho collapse at their shout (6:20) and they butchered the city, how the sun and the moon obeyed Joshua’s order to stop moving until the Israelites defeated the Amorites (10:12-13). St. Paul was right when he comments, “For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:22). And yet, the Israelites remained “stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears” (Acts 7:51) in the future generations! Therefore, miracles do not breed faith! Rather, it should be the other way around.

In patriarchal societies, marriage has become a contract rather than a covenant for life [“become one body” (Genesis 2:24)]. Women, whether they were wives or daughters, were men’s possession. Take a look at the Ten Commandments. “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour” (Exodus 20:17). Thus wives and daughters were things among houses, slaves, oxen or donkeys that belonged to men, in the role of husbands or fathers! If you breach a contract, pay the compensation to settle the dispute! When people treat marriage as a contract, they will not treat it seriously as long as they are able to pay compensation. No wonder nowadays, people have less faith in marriage and in God. In the eyes of non-believers, Christians take marriage too seriously! Yes, we do because the Church is the Spouse of Christ (Ephesians 5:32)! Christian marriages reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church! God might not be dead but who cares when God is no longer relevant in modern societies. Since the Age of Enlightenment, people trust science and technology more than God. The ego of individuals has elated so much that scientists have no restrain to play God. They start editing human genes to make babies immunized against HIV. If the trend continues, wealthy people would rule the world.

Modern people dislike the word “subordination” because they opine that subordination takes away one’s dignity. They protest against Paul’s teaching on the relationship between husbands and wives. It is not fair to Paul because at the beginning, he has already stated clearly, “Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). Modern people are offended by the next verse. “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord” (5:22) and further down, Paul did not write anything near “Husband should be subordinate to their wives as to the Queen” because no such image existed in patriarchal societies! To wrap up his discourse, Paul could only write in the end, “Each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband” (5:33). In the ears of modern people, “Love” and “Respect” do not command equal intensity. Therefore, Paul’s teaching is unfair! Alas! Modern people forget that in ancient times, people were willing to lay down their lives for their loved ones and to die, out of respect/loyalty of their kings! Subordination is only a mild form of martyrdom. If you think that subordination on earth deprives you of your dignity, think higher and longer! It is true that marital life on earth is too short, at most a century! But in eternity, the merciful Lord will definitely have sufficient time to sanctify them “in splendour, without spot or wrinkle … holy and without blemish” (5:27). Will you feel less offended to subordinate to a dignitary made perfect by the Lord beyond imagination?

Beloved brethren! You don’t have to agree with my speculation. The more important thing in life is your fundamental choice. Do you accept the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Son of God? If you do, probably you will receive wilder revelations beyond your imagination from the merciful Lord than my fantasies. Amen.
God bless!

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Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio