Our readings this week speak to each of our domestic churches — the little churches that we call our families.
 
The First Reading from the book of Genesis takes us to the beginning of creation when God made man and woman. When Adam sees the woman he says, “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called ‘woman.’”  
 
We can almost hear the longing, gratitude, and appreciation in Adam’s voice when he meets Eve as he says, “at last.” She was a gift because she was an equal partner to him.
 
This was before the fall of man, meaning sin had not entered the world. Adam and Eve only viewed each other in total acceptance and love.
 
Our Gospel brings us to life after sin had entered the world — a time that is familiar to us. As the Pharisees questioned Jesus about divorce, He expressed that Moses permitted it because of the hardness of man’s heart. However, Jesus was calling them to deeper holiness. He was calling them to restore the original plan God had intended for marriage, “A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
 
Jesus’ words still apply to us here and now in each of our domestic churches. It is the task of families to tirelessly work to restore God’s original plan for marriage and family life — homes filled with gratitude, acceptance, and love.
 
It takes a daily commitment to live out our call to holiness to restore our families to this beautiful image.

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