MYSTERY OF MARRIAGE

SERMON PREACHED BY FR. TONY NOBLE ON OCTOBER 8, 2006

Hebrews 2:9 "We see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels,

crowned with glory and honor, b cause of the suffering of death."

What a choice of readings today! The Old Testament story of Adam and Eve, which many people consider a fable; the New Testament reading with theological imagery that seems slightly over our heads; and the gospel, with our Lord's comment on divorce.

I thought I should preach on the Psalm - but as I have no wife like the fruitful vine, what can I say?

So let's begin at the beginning - Genesis 2. This is not the Adam and Eve story we know so well. That is in Chapter 1 of Genesis. You are all familiar with it. Eve is tempted by the snake, and becomes herself the temptress to Adam, the dumb man who gives in to her. But God finds out and says: "Why did you eat the fruit? Adam says: " it wasn't me - it was the woman who tempted me." So God turns his attention to the woman. "It wasn't me, said Eve," it was the serpent." And of course the serpent didn't have a leg to stand on!

There are many people who say the whole story in Genesis 1 is a literal and true description of creation and how the human race came into being. They reject evolution -and it's quite a subject of discussion and argument in America today. Some people say the world was created in six days by the Lord God and at the end of all the creation the pinnacle was the creation of man and woman. When you look at Genesis 1 it actually describes the creation in an evolutionary way. The species starts with dust and gradually progresses until the ultimate of creation is the human being - and God is responsible. And that surely is any Christian understanding of Genesis 1. No matter how the world was created, no matter where we came from, God is responsible - and therefore it is to him that our allegiance and obedience is due.

Furthermore in Genesis 1 it is quite clear that men and women are equal, as Jesus quotes in today's gospel. Yet it always seems that those who say we must believe that the world was created in six days by God, as it is written, also say that women were created to be dominated by men. That is not what Genesis 1 says. You can't have it both ways, can you? If you believe that Genesis 1 is entirely true you would have to believe in snakes that talk. Now as far as I know snakes only hiss. I've been hissed at by human beings, but never spoken to by a snake!

Genesis 1 is true because it tells me that sin is my fault, not the snake’s. That is the great lesson of the creation story. We cannot blame other people for our own faults. We live in a society where someone else is always to blame. It was our parents’ fault, our upbringing, the environment, etc.

In Genesis 2 we have a dilemma. It is the second creation story, and here man is created first, then all the other things, and finally the woman. It is quite different to Genesis 1. At first sight Eve is subject to Adam because she is taken from him - the great image of Adam's rib. Some feminists reject the word "woman" because of this.

However when Adam looks at Eve he says: "flesh of my flesh". He is declaring that the woman Eve is equal to him - equal but different. When we discussed this in our Friday Bible Study someone said 'vive la difference'! Thus in the gospel today, when Jesus quotes Genesis 2:24, he declares that in marriage both men and women are equal, and become a unity, one flesh. The word flesh here, as usually in the bible, means body, mind and spirit. And those of you who have been married know that this is the wonder of marriage. There is a unity of body, mind and spirit - and yet you remain distinctive and different.

The modern world does not understand this. For the modern world marriage is a contract - and a contract that can be easily broken. For Christians it is much more than a contract - a sacrament, one of the seven. In the sacrament of marriage the couple become a unity, yet still to our eyes are two individuals. Just as in the Eucharist the bread and wine become the body of Christ even though they still look and taste like bread and wine.

Sometimes we fail to see this mystery - and sometimes in marriage we fail to see the unity. It requires a lot of hard work, patience and love.

When we reflect on the biblical description of marriage we rejoice that there are many in this parish who have had long and happy marriages, faithful marriages - often with the words of the marriage service ringing in your ears: for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.

How can we say marriage is in which two people become a unity, except through the eyes of faith? That sacraments change is comparable to the mystery in today's Epistle, Hebrews 2. Jesus the Son of God takes off his heavenly glory and becomes human, even to enduring suffering and death. That is also a great mystery.

If Jesus can do that, then he can come down from heaven and be present with us in the Eucharist and all the sacraments. This is the great mystery that we cherish in our faith.

The mystery of the Sacrament of Marriage is that two become one, and that is the great joy of the relationship of marriage. This is the significance of "flesh from my flesh". When Adam sees the woman he recognizes that though she is different, she is intrinsically the same because they come from the same stock. And the reference to Adam's rib is an image of how powerful sexuality is, and how it defines us - whether we are married, divorced, single or whatever. It is God's gift to us, like the woman coming from Adam's rib. That is why sex is so powerful, and sells in our current day.

Because sex is powerful it has all the dangers of power. It can be equally affirming and destructive. That is why we have divorce.

Divorce existed in the time of Jesus, and it exists in our time. In the time of Jesus it was dealt with under both the Law of Moses and the Roman law. Roman law allowed the husband to divorce the wife, and also the wife could divorce the husband. But the Law of Moses only allowed the man to divorce his wife. Hence the question asked of Jesus in Mark 10. In response, Jesus gives a wonderful exposition of the purpose of marriage.

When we consider the words of Jesus in Mark 10, they seem very definite. Ever since Jesus said those words the church has tried to give a pastoral response to what is a very difficult and delicate situation when a married couple must walk apart.

Mathew records an exception based on infidelity. St. Paul declares another exception for Christians married to non Christians. And the most famous divorcee of all times is credited with starting the Church of England, Henry VIII - who wanted an annulment because his wife bore him no son. So through the ages the church has dealt with reasons why divorce must happen.

The church always declares its unshakable belief in marriage as a sacrament that lasts until death. And we honor those who have been true to their marriage vows in good times and bad.

The church also acknowledges that some marriages finish before the death of the partners, and in fact become dead marriages, and allows a re-marriage – even for bishops and priests in our Episcopal church! We are people who believe in the God of the second chance. Because we believe in the second chance it adds to the joy we celebrate for those of you who have long and faithful marriages - because they reflect to us that wonderful picture in Ephesians of the bride being the church and the groom being Christ.

Finally to turn to the epistle, Hebrews 2. At first it seems it has nothing to do with sex or marriage - but it does focus on our bodies. The writer talks about being of the same flesh, just as in Genesis. He says “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He himself likewise took of the same nature. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin.” Flesh and blood! This means that as individuals our relationship with Jesus is like a marriage: Our Lord and we his people are of the same stock - human beings together, joined in the church, but of course vastly different. He the great Lord and we his faithful followers.

So for all of us, married, single or living together, heterosexual, homosexual or non-sexual, marriage is an image ultimately of our relationship with Christ.

As St. Paul says in Ephesians 5: The church is the bride of Christ, and the love of husband and wife is like the love of Christ for his church. What a challenge that is to all who marry.

And of course we remember that Christ loved with a love until death. What more could we want?