In today’s Gospel, there seem to be two gears.
In the first, we see how the Scribes and Pharisees wallowed in technicalities of the law, and used them for their social, legal and economic advantage, tweaking and guiding themselves through complex layers of legal precedent in order to stay in charge. It was by these means, too that they sought to trap Jesus within his own mesh.
In the second, he is among children, and gives the well-known comment: “‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.”
In both sections of today’s Gospel, we note the indignance of Jesus. He must have become sick and tired of humanity’s lack of understanding, their presumption that betterment means becoming more self-important.
If we direct these sections of the Gospel towards ourselves, what may we find, rising from the depths of our lives? Firstly, we should cleave with more effort to Jesus’ commandment to love. Were we to love our neighbour – truly so – then there would be little of the unpleasantness and heartache that often develops from a lesser community effort. Caring, too: how are we to love if we do not care? If we develop no sense of care for a particular group or community, how are we supposed to love them? Jesus points out to the religious leaders that Moses only set out those commandments because of their inability to learn. Our inability can, we are sorry to say, be just as stubborn, just as love-void as those Scribes. We can sometimes seek to use law and precedent as a buffer against the responsibility to love.
Secondly, we may like to reappraise how we approach Jesus. It is always good spiritual practice to do so regularly. Do we come to Christ as children, that is, people of openness, of good intention, or do we risk turning him into our invisible friend who fights our battles regardless of our good or bad actions? The relationship we have with Jesus is a quite awesome one; it must never be reduced. Ways of reducing the relationship include placing our own commentary and expectations on it. Rather, if we approach as children, that is, with open ears and mind, open heart and a willingness to learn, then we may better develop as the children of God.
Hard words, of course. But the spiritual life is no easy ticket. In our personal lives there are many daily examples of how we may take one road or another. How often do we truly go down that road of childlike openness, rather than clinging onto our own sometimes selfish expectations and dreams?
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 10:2-16
Glory to you, O Lord.
Some Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
‘Is it against the law for a man to divorce his wife?‘ They were testing him.
He answered them,
‘What did Moses command you?‘
‘Moses allowed us’ they said ‘to draw up a writ of dismissal and so to divorce.’
Then Jesus said to them,
‘It was because you were so unteachable that he wrote this commandment for you.
But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female.
This is why a man must leave father and mother, and the two become one body.
They are no longer two, therefore, but one body.
So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’
Back in the house the disciples questioned him again about this, and he said to them,
‘The man who divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her.
And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she too is guilty of adultery.’
People were bringing little children to him, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away,
but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them,
‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.
I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’
Then he put his arms round them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessings.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.