A Poem a Sunday

Proper 22B/Ordinary 27B/Pentecost 20
October 7, 2018

Mark 10:2-16 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

2 Some Pharisees came, and to test him they 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 dismissal and to divorce her.” 5 But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. 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,[a] 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

10 Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 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.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children

13 People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. 15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Footnotes:

1. Mark 10:7 Other ancient authorities lack and be joined to his wife

A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 20-B
October 7, 2018

Divorce

Male:

domination

created nations,

tribal lines

and power

that claims

to be divine,

and rights

of kings

above all laws

their

last word

final truth.

Female:

partnership

created cooperation

sharing

the power

intimately

divine

and

Mary’s Song

unseated thrones.

Their last word

is

compassion.

And NOW, today

what will we say

and do when confronted

with female truth

and male domination?

Will the powerful 

privileged win, or

will compassion

and partnership

cover their

sin?

Copyright 2018 @Kenn Storck

May used with permission

kennstorck@gmail.com