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 IS IT LAWFUL . . . TO DIVORCE . . ? - The question is not
frivolous, Donald Juel claims. "In a society in which only the wealthiest of women in
urban settings could own property, divorce meant being cut off from the ability to sustain
life. Liberal divorce laws meant that women could be turned out, threatening them with
poverty . . . According to Mark, Jesus did not side with the school of Shammai or the
school of Hillel . . . Instead, he argued that God’s intention is apparent in
Genesis, where it speaks of two becoming one flesh . . . His forbidding of divorce is
clearly a statement about the status of women in society. They are to be safeguarded as
vulnerable members of society. [1]
A JOURNEY STORY THAT VALUES SOCIETY’S WEAK - Richard Jensen
suggests a deliberate trajectory of discussion that centers on the disenfranchised of
Jesus’ society. "On the way" to Jerusalem, Jesus speaks to the alien
exorciser (last week’s topic in 9:38-41), the little ones (9:42-50) and the divorced
wife in today’s lesson. All are examples of Jesus’ care for the weak. In
response to the debate with the two schools of thought on the subject, Jesus appeals to a
story-Moses and Israel in the wilderness-and more specifically to a "spiritual"
reading of Scripture which values both persons in a relationship. [2]
ANCIENT VOICES - The ancient Christian exegetes repeatedly celebrated
the way in which children are welcomed and blessed by the Lord [augustine / cyprian]. In
this way the reception of preparatory or prevenient grace begins from infancy [basil, fl
357-379]. [3]
 Who
has the best marriage you’ve ever seen? What makes is so special? [4]
Not all marriages should survive-especially when the potential of violence is present.
Make a whatsitliketobe list: write down on a piece of paper as quickly as you can what
it’s like to be . . . a divorced person (man or woman) . . . a single parent.
Describe their feelings, their fears, their emotions. Empathize in order to understand
others better.
 Please see the homily for this week on
DPS entitled, Little Ones to Him Belong.
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