Two Become One

When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he cured them there.
Some Pharisees came to him, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that the one who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?” He said to them, “It was because you were so hard-hearted that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another commits adultery.”
His disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” But he said to them, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.” Matthew 19:1-12 

In a few weeks our eldest daughter Emily is getting married in New York City. There is much excitement and joy all around. I remind people who are getting married that this is the hardest and most rewarding work they will ever do. And for some, no matter how hard they work at it, due to hurts and ills too deep to cure, violence and abuse, the coming together as one will never happen. The two become one is not instantaneous nor romantic, it is an deep commitment to see the other side to and to love the other voice, constantly forgiving and moving beyond the petty.

Jesus is under scrutiny and testing from the religious leaders. He answers them from the heart of God, the true desire of every joining to be holy and forever. And yet, there is an understanding that in our humanity and frailty, Jesus acknowledged how hard living as one flesh truly is. We are invited by God to renew our commitment to those we love and who we have vowed to love. To hold tight to the human gifts we have been given, since each of us is both frail and precious gift.

Today, I ask God to help me strengthen the bonds of love. May we all strive to be ready to forgive. to let go, to share completely with others. May our fear of loss not hold us back from loving, but rather in all seek the heart of God which is love made perfect.