Catholic Q&A: Part 4

"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every one." (Col 4:6)

Click on a question and it will take you to the answer farther down the page. Click the "Back" button on your browser to return to the questions at the top.

#1-25: See Part 1.
#26-50: See Part 2.
#51-75: See Part 3.

76. Should I participate in Blessed Mother’s upcoming Bible study on the Gospel of John? I don’t know very much about the Bible at all. I’m afraid I’ll just get lost or make a complete fool of myself.
77. Can you tell me more about the Gospel according to John that we will be studying here at Blessed Mother?
78. What is the resurrection of the body and what proof do you have that it will actually take place?
79. What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
80. What is the proper gesture of reference towards the tabernacle both during Mass and outside of Mass?
81. Lent Potpourri 2010 (click this link to go to a short collection of answers to questions about the Season of Lent)
82. Feb. 22 was the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle. Why do we have a day devoted to a chair?
83. Isn’t the Catholic Church discriminating against people when it supports laws that ban same-sex marriage?
84. What proof is there in the resurrection of Jesus?
85. While Jesus was carrying His Cross, He stopped and spoke to the “Daughters of Jerusalem,” but what He said to them was difficult to understand. What did He mean?
86. Where are deacons found in Scripture?
87. What did Jesus mean when he said that a couple could not get a divorce, “except in the case of unchastity” (Mt 5:32; 19:9)?

76. Should I participate in Blessed Mother’s upcoming Bible study on the Gospel of John? I don’t know very much about the Bible at all. I’m afraid I’ll just get lost or make a complete fool of myself.

    I understand, honestly I do. Sometimes I’m afraid to lead it! But, if we keep giving in to that fear then we’ll never overcome it. Wouldn’t you like to not be afraid of studying the Bible? How are you ever going to overcome your fear of studying the Bible if you keep avoiding that study? I think the key here is for me and for you to do that very thing that we are afraid of doing.

    I’m not saying that when you come to the end of our study you’ll be a full-fledged Bible scholar ready to submit articles to academic journals. But, you’ll have some knowledge and familiarity with John’s Gospel that you never had before. You’ll have ears equipped to hear what God is trying to say to you and to the world about Himself. If you go through this study, the next time you hear a passage from John’s Gospel during Mass it will actually mean something to you! On the drive home you’ll be able to tell your family what Jesus meant when he said, “Destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in three days” (Jn 2:19), or when he said, “Before Abraham was, I AM” (Jn 8:58). You can come to a point where Scripture actually excites you, instead of it being something that frustrates you and makes you feel insecure.

    That is, in a sense, the fruit that I dangle in front of you. I hope you will take it. With the Stewardship Drive and the season of Lent fast approaching, now is the perfect time to get involved, both in your own spiritual life, and in the life of this parish. Our upcoming Scripture study is one way to do that.

    There will be sign-ups today and next Sunday, January 24th, after the 10 AM Mass, in the lobby area of the Family Life Center. You can also register by calling me, sending me an email, or coming by the office. Please register as soon as possible so that I can have your materials ready for you on the first session. We will be meeting every Tuesday night at 7 PM in the Parish Hall, starting February 2nd. If there is enough interest, we will also meet on Monday morning at 10 AM. When you register, make sure you tell me which day and time you would prefer. The cost of the study is only $20, which is a significant reduction of the actual retail price of each study guide. Each session will last about an hour and a half. This is a 30-week study, which means that we will probably go into September. I realize that this requires a significant commitment on your part, and I realize that not everyone will be able to come to every meeting. All I ask is that you try the best you can. I can give you any info that you miss.


 
77. Can you tell me more about the Gospel according to John that we will be studying here at Blessed Mother?

    The Gospel of John was written by one of Jesus’ 12 apostles. He was the youngest of the 12 and “the one whom Jesus loved” (cf. Jn 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:20,24). With James and Peter, he was part of the “inner circle” of apostles who were closest to Jesus and who alone were privileged to witness important moments in Jesus’ ministry, such as the Transfiguration (cf. Mk 9:2). John was the only apostle who stayed with Jesus at the Crucifixion, and Jesus gave His mother Mary into the care of John shortly before He died. Finally, besides the Gospel, John also wrote three letters and the Book of Revelation, which are found in the New Testament.

    Scholars date the composition of the Gospel to around 90 AD. Since the Gospel shows detailed knowledge of Jewish feasts, a familiarity with Palestinian geography, and makes many allusions to the Temple, it was probably written for Jews and Jewish Christians living throughout the Mediterranean world. As for the purpose of the Gospel, John specifically says, “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name” (Jn 20:31). John is also writing in order to “fill in the blanks” left by the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John informs us of many facts and events that are not found in the other Gospels.

    John’s Gospel is a truly beautiful work, rich in meaning and deeply spiritual. John himself is symbolized by an eagle because his Gospel soars to new heights of contemplation upon the divinity of Christ. John proves with certainty that Jesus is God. His Gospel is also very familial: it focuses on God as a family of Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — and upon mankind as initiated into that family through faith in Christ. In relation to the other Gospels, the Trinity finds its fullest expression in John’s Gospel. Life, truth, light, glory, and “bearing witness” are common themes found throughout. Faith and love are also very important.

    Finally, John’s Gospel is very sacramental. He speaks explicitly of Baptism (cf. Jn 3:3,5), Eucharist (cf. Jn 6), and Confession (cf. Jn 20:21-23). Jesus gives marriage new sanctity with His presence at the wedding feast at Cana (cf. Jn 2:1-11). John speaks indirectly of Confirmation by including Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit to the Apostles (cf. Jn 14:26; 16:13). The priesthood is even seen in Jesus’ priestly prayer in Jn 17, where Jesus intercedes as High Priest to the Father on our behalf and offers himself as a holy victim.

    This is truly an amazing work, and I hope you will join us in studying it.


 
78. What is the resurrection of the body and what proof do you have that it will actually take place?

    The resurrection of the body is an event that will take place when Jesus comes again. At that moment, every soul that has ever lived will be reunited to its body. In other words, every human body that has ever lived will come back to life again.

    These bodies will be immortal and “incorruptible,” which means that they will not deteriorate or decay. The bodies of the righteous souls will have the benefit of being “glorified,” which theologians traditionally take to mean that they will not undergo pain, they will be more physically robust and agile, and they will even glow with radiance. The bodies of the wicked souls will simply add a physical dimension to the spiritual suffering that they were already enduring in hell.

    There are many passages in Scripture that speak of the resurrection of the body. Here are just a few:

    Dan 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

    Isa 26:19 Thy dead shall live, their bodies shall rise.

    Jn 5:28-29 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.

    Jn 6:39 and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day.

    Jn 11:23-25 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live

    Acts 26:8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

    Rom 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you.

    The resurrection of the body is a great source of hope for Christians because in it we have the cure for all of the bodily suffering that we currently endure, as long as we remain united to God.


 
79. What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

    The gifts of the Holy Spirit are listed in Isa 11:2-3. The Douay-Rheims translation reads as follows:

    And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness. And he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord...

    They are given to us at our Baptism and strengthened in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Their purpose is to make us docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. He works in us through these gifts and each one helps us to progress towards holiness.

    It can be difficult to distinguish between the different gifts of the Holy Spirit because they are so much alike. For help, I turn to the Modern Catholic Dictionary, by Fr. John A. Hardon:

    Wisdom: It makes the soul responsive to God in the contemplation of divine things. It allows our minds to penetrate the very essence of divine truths.

    Understanding: It is given to the mind for grasping revealed truths easily and profoundly. It gives insight into the meaning of what a person believes.

    Counsel: It enables a person to judge promptly and rightly, as by a sort of supernatural intuition, what should be done, especially in difficult situations.

    Fortitude: It gives a person a special strength of will. This gift confers an extraordinary readiness to undergo trials for love of God or in fulfillment of the divine will.

    Knowledge: It gives a person the ability to judge everything from a supernatural viewpoint. The object of this gift is the whole spectrum of created things insofar as they lead one to God. Through infused knowledge the faithful can see the providential purpose of whatever enters their lives.

    Godliness (or “Piety”): It produces an instinctive filial affection for God and devotion toward those who are specially consecrated to God. It is a ready loyalty to God and the things of God.

    Fear of the Lord: A solemn respect for the almighty power and glory of God. It fills us with reverence for Him and dread of offending Him who loves us so completely.

    I pray that the Spirit will arouse these gifts within you as you contemplate your role and mission in the Church.


 
80. What is the proper gesture of reference towards the tabernacle both during Mass and outside of Mass?

    Our outward gestures, especially those that take place within the context of liturgy and prayer, should reflect our inner disposition, our own thoughts and feelings about what we are doing. That is why a question like this is an important one: it is an opportunity for us to make sure that our gestures are an accurate reflection of genuine Catholic sentiment regarding the tabernacle.

    The tabernacle is a boxlike container where the Blessed Sacrament is kept, or “reserved.” Consecrated hosts are kept there so that the Body of Christ is available to take to the sick, and so that the faithful have the opportunity to adore our Lord in the Eucharist.

    Outside of Mass, the proper gesture of reverence towards the tabernacle is a genuflection, in which you kneel on your right knee, make the Sign of the Cross, and then rise to your feet again. Note that this is a more profound act of humility and reverence then a bowing of the head, or a bowing at the waist. This is because Christ’s Presence in the tabernacle is more profound. Jesus is more substantially present in the tabernacle than He is in the Word of God found in Scripture or, generally speaking, in the hearts of men. Thus, the tabernacle calls for a greater gesture of reverence.

    The purpose for the genuflection you make when you enter and exit the pew is to venerate the tabernacle. But, note that this takes place before Mass starts and after it has ended. While Mass is being celebrated, there is no sign of reverence made towards the tabernacle, at least not by the priest, deacon, and other liturgical ministers. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says, “If, however, the tabernacle with the Most Blessed Sacrament is present in the sanctuary, the priest, the deacon, and the other ministers genuflect when they approach the altar and when they depart from it, but not during the celebration of Mass itself” (cf. no. 274).

    I’m not entirely sure why that is. Perhaps it is to draw our attention to the altar, where the Sacrifice of the Mass is taking place. Genuflection signifies adoration, so it could also be that, by removing the sign of reverence towards the tabernacle, the Church is trying to place the emphasis on what is being consecrated in front of us, instead of on what was already consecrated during a previous Mass. Or, it could be that, since you already reverenced the tabernacle when you entered the pew before Mass, and you’re going to do it again before you exit the pew, that those gestures are sufficient and it’s not necessary to do them again. I am not an expert on the liturgy, but those are my educated guesses.


 
81. Lent Potpourri 2010

    Why do we put ashes on our forehead on Ash Wednesday?

    Ashes are a symbol of mourning, mortality, and penance. After all, “you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19). That was God’s reminder to Adam after he commited the original sin. During Old Testament times, God’s people would cover themselves with ashes in times of mourning, or to make reparation for their sins (cf. Esther 4:1; Job 42:6; Dan 9:3). We do the same in order to remind ourselves of our own sins and of the fact that we are entirely dependent upon God for every second of our being. Therefore, we must make of this life all that God desires it to be, and remove from our lives anything that would hasten our spiritual death and keep us from Him.

    What is Lent?

    Lent is a period of about 40 days, not counting Sundays, in which we spiritually prepare ourselves for the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. Lent is a somber time of personal reflection, of penance, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It is a time for calling to mind our sins, all the times in which we helped drive the nails into the hands and feet of Christ. It is a time for redoubling our efforts to grow in our prayer life and to experience God in the Sacraments of the Church. It is also a time for doing good works, for loving one another as Christ loved us.

    What does it mean to “fast” and to “abstain.” When do we do these things? Who is required to do them?

    To “fast” means, at minimum, eating one regularly-sized meal and two smaller meals, with no snacking in between. Such fasting is obligatory on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday for all Catholics age 18 - 60 years old.

    To “abstain” is to refrain from eating the flesh and organs of warm-blooded animals. This abstinence is obligatory on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent for all Catholics age 14 and up.

    Why do people “give up” something for Lent? Is this something that we have to do?

    While this is not strictly required, traditionally, Catholics choose something to give up, or refrain from doing, during Lent so as to embrace the penitential character of this season. Some people take this opportunity to overcome bad habits, like biting your nails, or smoking, or cursing. Others will give up something they enjoy, like ice cream, or television, or facebook. Whatever you do during Lent to unite yourself to the “Suffering Servant” is a good and laudable thing.

    Also see Q&A #32.

 
82. Feb. 22 was the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle. Why do we have a day devoted to a chair?

    It does seem odd at first to celebrate what is basically an inanimate object, but there is in fact a very good reason for this feast day. Pope Benedict XVI, in his General Audience catechesis on Feb 22, 2006, had many helpful things to say on this. I would like to provide an abbreviated version of his remarks:

    The Latin liturgy celebrates today the feast of the Chair of St. Peter. It comes from a very ancient tradition, chronicled at Rome from the end of the 4th century, which renders thanks to God for the mission entrusted to the Apostle Peter and to his successors. The "cathedra," literally, is the fixed seat of the Bishop, found in the mother church in a diocese, which for this reason is called "cathedral," and is the symbol of the authority of the Bishop and, in particular, of his "magisterium," the evangelical teaching which he, as a successor of the Apostles, is called to maintain and pass on to the Christian community. When the Bishop takes possession of the particular Church entrusted to him, he, wearing the mitre and carrying the pastoral staff, is seated in the cathedra. From that seat he will guide, as teacher and pastor, the path of the faithful in faith, in hope and in love.

    What was, then, the "cathedra" of St. Peter? He, chosen by Christ as the "rock" on which the Church was built, began his ministry in Jerusalem, after the Ascension of the Lord and Pentecost. The first "see" of the Church was the Cenacle, and it's likely that in that room, where also Mary, the mother of Jesus, prayed together with the disciples, a special place was reserved for Simon Peter. Successively, the see of Peter became Antioch, a city situated on the Oronte River, in Syria, today in Turkey, in that time the third metropolis of the Roman empire after Rome and Alexandria in Egypt. From that city, evangalized by Barnabas and Paul, where "for the first time the disciples were called Christians" (Acts 11:26), where the name Christian was born for us, Peter was the first bishop, so that the Roman Martyrology, before the reform of the calendar, also provided for a specific celebration of the Chair of Peter at Antioch. From there, Providence brought Peter to Rome. [...]

    The see of Rome, after this movement of St. Peter, became recognized as that of the successor of Peter, and the "cathedra" of its bishop represented that of the Apostle charged by Christ to feed his flock. [...]

    To celebrate the "Cathedra" of Peter, as we do today, means, then, to attribute to it a strong spiritual significance and to recognize it as a privileged sign of the love of God, the good and eternal Shepherd, who wishes to gather the entire Church and guide it along the way of salvation.


 
83. Isn’t the Catholic Church discriminating against people when it supports laws that ban same-sex marriage?

    I think there are two errors at the root of this question: 1.) All discrimination is wrong, and 2.) People have the right to enter into a same-sex marriage. I would like to address these errors in turn.

    Regarding the first error, people throw around the word “discrimination” a lot in order to gain some leverage based on the baggage attached to the word. When we hear “discrimination,” we think “slavery,” which was one of the greatest evils we have ever faced. So, when you charge someone with discrimination, that usually works to gain public sentiment in your favor. But, it’s not intellectually honest. That’s because it is simply not true that all discrimination is wrong. Speed limits discriminate against people who like to drive fast. Laws against stealing discriminate against kleptomaniacs. Should these laws be repealed simply because they discriminate? Of course not. The fact is, sometimes discrimination is just and necessary. So, it is not enough to say that a law is wrong simply because it discriminates. Instead, one has to prove that the discrimination in question is unjust.

    The second error, that people have a right to enter into same-sex marriages, really centers around the definition of a “right.” What is a “right”? Is it the freedom to do whatever we want? If that were the case, then people could claim the “right” do to anything! How then do we determine whether or not someone has a legitimate claim to something? If it's a legitimate claim, it's a "right." If it's an arbitrary claim, it's a "want." Basic philosophical principles tell us that a claim is legitimate only if it is justified morally, and if it has its basis in some good that should be honored. Under this definition, same-sex marriage cannot qualify as a right.

    Now, I realize that this begs the question: how do we determine whether or not something is morally justified? As a Catholic, the Bible and the teachings of the Church are my guide, and while one could argue that these should be the guides for ALL men, I think it is also true that natural law and every man's faculty of reason should also lead him to the conclusion that same-sex marriage is immoral and thus no one has a legitimate claim to it.

    Of course, this just scratches the surface of the debate (which is all I really have room here to do), but I hope it helps. For more information, I suggest the following sites:

    • The Public Discourse: "Marriage"
    • Catholic Answers: "Gay Marriage" Special Report


 
84. What proof is there in the resurrection of Jesus?

    First, the Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish prophet who claimed to be the Messiah, was arrested, condemned by Pontius Pilate, and crucified. He was placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, which was sealed with a large boulder and guarded by Roman soldiers. Three days later, some women who went to His tomb found the boulder removed and the body gone. In a span of 40 days, He appeared to over 500 people and then ascended into heaven. But, is it true?

    With any historical event, you discover what happened by utilizing eyewitness accounts and the documents of those who collected such accounts. For the resurrection of Jesus, the New Testament is our primary source for such documentary evidence. There simply is not enough room here to defend the historical reliability of the New Testament, but trust me, we can be exceedingly confident in the purity of the New Testament as it has come down to us (despite the fact that we do not have the originals), and we can rest assured that it gives us an accurate reporting of what actually happened.

    That said, we know that Jesus resurrected from the dead because: 1.) all of the reliable historical evidence tells us that He did, and 2.) There is no other explanation that better accounts for the facts of the matter. Of course, people have their theories, but they are easily refuted.

    Some say that, in their great psychological distress, everyone who thought they saw the resurrected Lord was actually hallucinating. But, 500 people hallucinating the same thing? Not likely. You can’t touch a hallucination either (like Thomas did), and last time I checked, hallucinations don’t eat, nor do they last for 40 days.

    Others say that once Jesus died, the apostles realized that He was actually a quack and so, to avoid embarrassment, they devised a grand conspiracy to fool everyone into believing that He was actually the Messiah. Also not likely. For one, these are simple people we’re talking about here. The apostles did not have the brains to conceive of such a perfect scheme. Secondly, the conspiracy theory requires them to do things that would have been nearly impossible, such as rolling away the boulder, separating Jesus’ body from the burial linens (which by then would have been securely glued to his skin), and then running away with the body all without the Roman guards seeing. There’s also the fact that no one travels to far distant lands and then suffers a martyr’s death for a lie — unless he is absolutely deranged!

    The fact is that the tomb was empty, Jesus appeared to over 500 people during those 40 days, and the gospel message spread like wildfire because Jesus Christ had truly risen from the dead. Thanks be to God! Alleluia!!


 
85. While Jesus was carrying His Cross, He stopped and spoke to the “Daughters of Jerusalem,” but what He said to them was difficult to understand. What did He mean?

    This scene is found in Lk 23:27-31:

    And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning to them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

    I did some research on this passage and, as I understand it, Jesus is referring to the destruction of Jerusalem and of the Temple there when He speaks of these terrible days that are coming. Earlier, in Lk 19:43-44 and Lk 21:20-24, Jesus prophesied that this day of destruction was near, as a punishment for the faithlessness of the Jews, and He described that day in much the same terms that He is using here.

    I’m sure that Jesus is touched by their mourning for Him, but He also knows that the greatest possible good will come from His current suffering. I think Jesus is basically telling the women that they need not worry about Him. Instead, they need to worry about their people, particularly the faithless from among them. When the Temple comes crumbling down and the entire city is destroyed, that will be such an awful day that people will consider it a blessing to be barren (and thus spared from bringing a child into those dreadful days). They will rather have mountains and hills fall on them then suffer the torments of that day! History tells us that, in 70 AD, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed, and it was every bit as bad as Jesus said it would be.

    As for the green and dry wood that Jesus mentions at the end, this is His clever way of warning them of their impending doom. If you’ve ever tried to make a fire, you know that green wood is still moist and thus unsuitable for burning, but dry wood makes excellent kindling. In Scripture, fire is often a symbol of God’s wrath (cf. Ezek 20:47). The green wood are thus the innocent, those who do not deserve to be punished, and the dry wood are the wicked.

    Knowing this then, Jesus is basically saying, “If this is the type of thing that happens to the innocent (to Jesus, who is being beaten and crucified), just wait and see what happens to the wicked!” Our God is a Just God. The wicked never go unpunished.


 
86. Where are deacons found in Scripture?

    First, it may be helpful to define what a deacon is. Scott Hahn’s Catholic Bible Dictionary defines a deacon as:

    “An ordained assistant to priests responsible for such ministerial duties as preaching, baptizing, witnessing marriages, distributing Communion, and presiding at funerals (but not saying the funeral Mass). In the modern Church there are two forms of the diaconate: the permanent diaconate (including single and married men) and the transitional diaconate (for those who will eventually be ordained as priests).”

    Sometimes, finding these offices in Scripture can be a little tricky. It’s not because the offices didn’t exist, it’s because, in the apostolic age, the terms used to describe the different positions of leadership in the Church were rather fluid. For example, Paul occasionally describes his work by using the Greek word for “deacon” (diakonos, cf. 2 Cor 3:6; Eph 3:7), even though he held the much higher office of “apostle.” Peter described himself as a "fellow elder," (1 Pet. 5:1) even though he, being an apostle, also had a much higher office. However, in Scripture we definitely see persons fulfilling the functions that we would today consider to be those of a deacon, and by the second century, there is much more agreement on the terms used to describe the three offices.

    Traditionally, Acts 6:1-6 is considered to be the point in Scripture where the establishment of the office of deacon is described. It reads as follows:

    “Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, 'It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.' And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Proch'orus, and Nica'nor, and Ti'mon, and Par'menas, and Nicola'us, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them.”

    We see from this that the first task of the deacon was to serve the poor. They had other functions too, such as assisting the bishops (cf. Phil 1:1), preaching (cf. Acts 7:2-53), and administering baptism (cf. Acts 8:38). Paul has high standards for anyone who desires to serve in such a position (cf. 1 Tim 3:8-10).


 
87. What did Jesus mean when he said that a couple could not get a divorce, “except in the case of unchastity” (Mt 5:32; 19:9)?

    This is a difficult passage at first, considering that the Church has always taught that a marriage entered into lawfully is indissoluble, or cannot be broken. But, we should not let difficult passages in Scripture sow doubt within us regarding the truth of Catholic teaching. Invariably, the error is not in what the Church teaches or in what Scripture says but in our own understanding.

    In this case, the key to solving this riddle is in the meaning of the Greek word porneia, which the RSV translates as “unchastity.” What type of act does Jesus actually have in mind here that would allow a couple to no longer be married? Porneia is sort of a “catch-all” word that can be used to refer to many different kinds of illicit sexual unions: adultery, incest, sodomy, fornication, bestiality. However, it can also be used to refer to an unlawful marriage. In other words, only when a marriage was never lawfully entered into in the first place are the two individuals free to marry someone else. Jews considered a marriage to be unlawful if the two persons involved were too closely related by blood, or if one of them was a Gentile.

    This is the only meaning that reconciles Jesus’ words in Matthew’s Gospel with what He and the Apostles say elsewhere about divorce. In every other passage, their prohibition against divorce is absolute. They admit no exceptions. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.” St. Paul says:

    “To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband) -- and that the husband should not divorce his wife. [. . .] A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If the husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.” (1 Cor 7:10-11, 39)

    The model for marriage is always the relationship of Adam and Eve before the fall. Jesus says:

    “For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so” (Mt 19:8).
    
    “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 flesh'? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder" (Mt 19:4-6).

    That is the teaching of Christ and of the Church.