Ownership

Today’s Gospel Text: And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" 3 He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" 4 They said, "Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away." 5 But Jesus said to them, "For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 7 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder." 10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 And he said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." 13 And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them. Mark 10:2-16

Reflection: Garbage generated in his own house is equally a man’s property just as much as precious gold kept in safe custody by him.

One will be disposed off as rubbish while the other could be preserved for posterity. One could be treated with disdain while the other could be treated with great care and concern.

Ever since the advent of the Marxist concept of 'ownership of goods and properties', there has been a certain look of disdain on this concept of ownership and this destructive heresy has been carried on to the sphere of family by certain women rights group and feminist. 

Ownership of one another is not a bad word but can be a beautiful relationship in an hostile world which also preserves the values of right relationships and ideal families; for instance, a man preserving it through sustenance and caring and the woman though her care and filial love.  Jealousy manifested in the right way can be an important ingredient in such a relationship of ownership.

This ownership is carried on with children, from parent and is always a clear message of precaution to society not to tread or envy what belongs to someone else. It is a message to treat with respect the goods and valuables of others; a message embedded deep in the conscience of every human being and not to be censored by them.

It carries the values of society forward and gives society a stable existence that is lasting.

If not then we could have a society where just as commodities and money change hands so too there could be the constant change which depreciates the value of such commodities. 

We could see it happening in relationships that are not based on sound values, including the value of ownership.

Prayer: Lord, you who consider us as your own through baptism, help us to value and respect the relationships which you have ordained for humans in order to preserve them in your love.

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