The Cross of Marriage.

In the last post I was talking about the natural order in the world of male and female knowing their responsibility to look after the young and preserve life on the planet, and how many humans had become dysfunctional in that respect.   But let us look at the life of Jesus and what he taught.    Jesus, remember was the Son of God, who had come into the world to bring salvation by destroying sin.   If indeed He was the Son of God should his teaching not mean something in the world of today?   Yet though many, as he foretold, would honour Him with their lips, as far as his teachings were concerned their hearts are far from him.   Jesus taught that adultery was wrong, He taught that sodomy was wrong, He taught that divorce was wrong, and does anyone really think that among his disciples he did not also condemn the killing of an unborn child, created by God His Father.   Certainly the Jewish Faith forbade portion.   Read Exodus 21:22-24.    

The Didache or teaching of the Apostles {About 50AD} said "You shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill what is begotten"

Letter of Barnabas (c. AD 75)   "You shall not slays the child by procuring abortion, nor shall you destroy it after it is born"

Similar teachings come from many other Fathers.   But if I question fidelity to Christ and his teachings I am remembering a catechetical class I attended where the Truths of the Faith were questioned and at the end a leading catechist stood up and almost stamping her feet claimed that "The Church must change its teaching on Contraception, Divorce and Abortion".  I was not meant to be there for I was not a parish catechist since I was living in the past with Jesus.

But let me return to Marriage.    "and for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife and the two shall become one flesh, and what God has joined together let not man pull asunder".  Matthew 19.   Now this is Jesus talking and this is the high standard, the yoke he puts on his followers.   Be faithful to each other in life, and love your children, for they need your love.    A Christian Marriage does not just follow the natural law it is preserved by a true bond of love between the husband and wife and the children.   The children are meant to be part of that circle of love within the family.   Do you notice how in divorce the needs of the children are swept aside.    They are able to cope we are told.   It does them no harm.    Yes many struggle through, but they are harmed and they feel for the first time unloved and rejected.    And please do not say I have not lived as these chidren lived, with quarrelling parents for I have.     An old chestnut is that parents should not live together for the sake of the children  What kind of remark is this.   Of course they should.  If two grown adults cannot find enough love for their children in order to restrain their bitterness they are lacking in humility.    OK but why should one parent suffer when it is the other who is the bad one.  Yes,  certainly they should part, BUT THEY ARE STILL JOINED BY GOD IN MARRIAGE, and should share the children still as a father and a mother.   They should not declare their marriage a mistake by taking on another partner.    That is the kind of sacrifice Jesus asks of us.   Yes, it is difficult to follow the teachings of  Jesus at times, but he does give us many graces and blessings when we ask him to help us on our journey.   Do not turn on the Church and tell it to ignore Jesus.   Jesus died on the Cross to help us live the life He wanted us to live.   Be faithful to Him.  

Abut thank God there are so many good Catholic families today who are remaining faithful in a world which offers them so little.    Pray, pray, and pray again for your children.

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