Seeking Perfection

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time


In the Genesis reading this Sunday, we find Adam in the Garden of Eden being given the task of naming all the wild animals and birds that God has created. God recognizes the loneliness that Adam is experiencing and Adam, too, sees that none of the animals or birds can be a suitable partner for him.

But God has mercy on Adam and while Adam is asleep, God constructs another human being from one of Adam's ribs. And as we then read, Adam is so overjoyed to see this new creation who is so much like himself, that he names her "woman"...

And yet, despite God's love and protection, despite all the gifts that He had given to them, Adam and Eve allowed sin to enter the picture. For you see, God had also given them free will to make choices. And for their sin of pride, in wanting to know what they were forbidden, they were driven from the Garden of Eden.

Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, we find ourselves yearning for perfection. However, we will never reach that state in this life, because the yearning itself implies that we are imperfect beings. God has allowed this imperfection because it leads to that very yearning that will draw us to Him.

In the Gospel reading, we see the results of our own imperfection, especially in regard to marriage. During the time of Moses, on seeing the weakness of the people, Moses had permitted married people to divorce under certain circumstances. Now, when the Pharisees approached Jesus with the question of the lawfulness of these divorces, Jesus did not mince words, but stated the original intent of God: that "what God had joined together, no human being must separate."

In the second reading from Hebrews, we learn that God made us a little lower than the angels and that despite our imperfections, we are the crown of creation! God's covenant with us went so far that He allowed His Son to be born one of us; to live among us; to suffer and taste death as one of us. Christ calls us brothers and sisters because we are of one origin. When He took on our flesh and blood, He took on our strengths and weaknesses also; thereby showing us His incredible love for us despite our imperfections.

Just as Jesus suffered and endured much during His life, we are also going to be wounded on our journey to reach God. But we know that love can heal. Just as Jesus showed love and concern for the little children brought to Him for a blessing and an embrace, we are called to do the same: helping each other on our separate journeys, encouraging each other, showing love and mercy and granting forgiveness just as He did.

May God bless us all the days of our lives.