ONE BODY

PRAYER MOMENT Thursday 12 February 2015 ONE BODY Pause. Enter into the stillness of God within. Reading: “This why a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself to his wife and they become one body.” (Genesis 2:18-25) Reflection. As soon as the bible has completed its description of the creation of the world it describes the ‘creation’ of marriage. It is a moment to pause and celebrate the life long commitment of men and women for better or for worse. Leaving parents and joining with another is an adventure, a risk, a giving of oneself to what is unknown. The going out of oneself marriage manifests is central to real living. I am always struck by how Jesus left Nazareth and went to the Jordan. He left security and gave himself to an unknown future, something he knew he had to do if he was to fulfil his mission. Marriage is essentuially about giving oneself. When it turns inward, and is about what I can get out of it, it runs into trouble. Prayer. Lord, thank you for the gift of marriage. Help us to live out this gift in foregivesness and joy. Amen. David Harold-Barry SJ