27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Bullet Points (Mark 10:2-16)/ October 6, 2024

• In marriage, the couple does not live forever in romantic splendor like the two little figurines at the top of the wedding cake. Somehow, at some point in time, they will have to climb down to the ground of reality and face the real world of married life–bills, budgets, tuition fees for children, a problematic child, a philandering husband, a nagging wife. Little by little, one party or both may realize that marriage is not what one thought it to be.
• This is what we call, in married life, the stage of disillusionment (the other stage is romance and joy). This is where the real challenge of married life comes in. The modern world offers an easy way out–leave the family and look for a new partner in life– young talagang pang pamilya at pang sports pa, and that’s it. Unfortunately, that is not what Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel. The Lord says that what God has joined together let no man put asunder.
• Married life is a cycle of romance, disillusionment, and joy. Today may be Valentine’s Day for you, tomorrow a day of disgust, Tuesday a day of joy, and so on. The fact is that disillusionment and joy recur in a couple’s life. If your marriage is always in the stage of disillusionment, maybe you have not yet invited Christ wholeheartedly into your married life. Remember that marriage at Cana? Jesus was invited to be there and when things went wrong, Jesus was there to save the couple from trouble. He changed water into wine, thus saving the couple from embarrassment.
• Maybe you can invite Jesus into your married life, too, by praying, asking Him not to change water into wine but to turn your tears into joy, especially in moments of disillusionment. Remember Jesus still accepts invitations!
• (side note: after Jesus turned water into wine, many followed Him, not to listen to His words. They were hoping that He would again change water into wine).