October 29 - Tuesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

The BreadCast

(Eph.5:21-33; Ps.128:1-5; Lk.13:18-21) “To what shall I compare the reign of God?” Jesus Himself compares it to a mustard seed which grows so steadily into a “large shrub,” and to yeast which makes “the whole mass of dough” rise. And Paul tells us of the marriage union that it “refers to Christ and the Church.” These images should lead you, brother, to understand the glorious kingdom that is beyond all image. “The husband is head of the wife just as Christ is head of His body, the Church,” and husbands should “love [their] wives, as Christ’s loved the Church,” giving themselves “up for her” as the Lord has done for us. A wonderfully beautiful call; a marvelous image which is to bring the Lord so really into our midst: love between husband and wife – the love of love upon this earth, which indeed brings the fruit of new life. “A man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cling to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Here is a word of truth incomparable to others in the joy it brings the ear and the heart open to its call. For by it is promised great happiness to those “who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways.” Yes, the obedient man will find that his “wife shall be like a fruitful vine” and his “children like olive plants around [his] table”; great is the blessing upon those who wed in love, the true love of the Lord. But a greater promise than this does this word bring, for in it is indeed “a great foreshadowing”; in it we see not only the fruitful love of man and woman, but of God and His people. For does not Jesus leave His Father in heaven and cling to us? Does it not bring the great knowledge that we shall be made one with Him and with His Father in heaven? If “he who loves his wife loves himself,” does this not emphasize the absolute oneness of husband and wife? And if such marriage foreshadows Christ’s love for us, can we not conclude that we will be as He is? Oh to what glory we are called! To be as the only Son of God, to be one with Him. Indeed “we are members of His body” even now, certainly. Has Jesus not asked Saul why he was persecuting Him, referring to His Church (Acts 9:4); and has He not said what we do unto the least of our brothers we do unto Him? We are one with Him even now, but yet we are growing, yet we are rising. And the immeasurable glory to which we come is beyond even the most poignant image to depict. It is absolute fullness, absolute union with our Lord and God. Alleluia! “The prosperity of [the New] Jerusalem” is ours. ******* O LORD, teach us to love one another that we might be joined to your Son and so enter your reign. YHWH, may husbands and wives be truly one in your sight; let there be no separation between them. For they are one as we are one with your Son, and why would we separate ourselves from our Lord? Salvation is ours in Him and in our love for one another. Let us be obedient to His voice and fear you and walk in your ways, and we shall grow unto Heaven. O LORD, you greatly bless those who fear you, who worship you alone and always do your will. Help us to live according to your Word, particularly as it affects marriages. For this day there is great separation between husband and wife, between man and woman; no sense of their oneness seems known anymore. Set against one another do they not set themselves against you? And living thus, how shall their love grow? Then what hope have any of being fruitful in your sight and coming into your eternal presence? It seems their children they would let die. O save us from such destructive pride that we might love one another as ourselves, as you love us in your Son.