Reflection on Today’s Readings, Friday of 19th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, August 18th, 2023
Texts: Joshua 24:1-1; Psalm 136:1-3,16-18,21-22,24; Matthew 19:3-12 

Today we are reminded to beware of Moral Decadence. Moral decadence is a deviation from the ideal. Jesus Christ tells us today that divorce is as result of moral decadence in the society. Divorce is a deviation from God’s original plan of marriage; it is not in God’s plan of marriage. Jesus says, “Have you not read that he who made them from 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'? So they are no longer two but one.”

Moral decadence in our society is a sign of rejection of God. Divorce is man’s attempt to undo what God has done. Jesus warns, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder." Jesus reminds us today that the union remains even after the spouses have rejected each other. This is clear in the words: “And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries a divorced woman, commits adultery." This tells us that man cannot undo whatever God has done or planned.  

Jesus Christ speaks of unchastity as only union that man can put asunder. It is a kind union that has no sacramental status. Such union is the result of unfaithfulness and as such God does not approve it.  

We are to review our life

We are called today to review our life and see where we might have gone astray from God. There are some practices that have been legitimised and yet are against God’s will. It could be our culture or government that legitimises them.  Divorce was that to the Jews. Jesus says, “For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” Such practices in our time are same-sex marriage, transgender, abortion, etc. The root cause of such practices is man’s disobedience to God. We are not to support or practice them.  

Today’s first reading is the account of how the people of God reviewed their life. Their review reminded them of God’s love, mercy and faithfulness to them. St. Peter sums up their experience thus: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Pet. 2:9-10).  
Reviewing our life from time to time helps us to avoid moral decadence and to be closer to God.  

Prayer 

May You, O Lord, have mercy on us for the number of times we have neglected Your will; strengthen our wills to live by Your will and save us from snare of moral decadence and evil. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke