Marriage – The Devil is in the Details

Satan’s Original Three Temptations

Matthew documents the first temptations by the devil when Jesus was led into the desert after His baptism. (Mt 4:1-11). Jesus was hungry, so the tempter suggested He command that stones become loaves of bread. Then the devil transported Jesus from the desert near Jericho to the Parapet of the Temple in Jerusalem. He tempted Him to prove His divinity by throwing Himself down. Finally, the devil returned Jesus to the mountains of the desert and showed Him all the kingdoms of the earth in their magnificence. “All these I give to you, if you will worship me.” The insinuation is clear. Jesus would not have to die, because Satan would give Him the victory without the cross. Tempting? One need only forward to the Mount of Olives on Holy Thursday and listen to Jesus’ prayer. Luke ends his original temptation account by letting us know that the devil left Jesus. But looked for another more opportune time. (Lk 4:13)

The Devil Tests Jesus Three More Times

The Gospels document another triad of temptations. This time at the hands of the Pharisees and scholars of the law. These broods of vipers, sons of the devil do Satan’s work. (John 8:44).

One temptation centers around a coin with the image of Caesar. The zealots objected to paying taxes to Caesar, and Jesus had one follower, an Apostle who was a zealot, Simon. If Jesus sympathized with zealots perhaps He could be tricked into condemning the payment of taxes to a Caesar who saw himself as Divine. Thus Jesus would either be arrested for treason and killed. Or, agree to the tax and be discredited as a true Messiah. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Duped, the pharisees leave. (Mt 22:15-22).

Another temptation involved a woman caught in adultery. (John 8:2-11). The law of Moses mandated that adulterers be stoned. The test was that if Jesus approved the stoning He would be convicted for insurrection. Because capital punishment was reserved to the Romans. (Jn 18:31). If, on the other hand, He forbade stoning, He would be seen as a hypocrite who did not keep the Law. Jesus avoided the test by calling for the one without sin to throw the first stone. His opponents found themselves in a quandary. Outsmarted, they walked away.

A Trap for Temptation

Finally, the site of today’s gospel account is Judea across the Jordan. Precisely where John the Baptist accused Herod and Herodias of an adulterous relationship. Arrested, the Baptist was beheaded for his accusation. Now, the trap was set for Jesus to answer a question about divorce at the same spot. Jesus asserted marriage was permanent once the couple had been joined by God. And thus not something any man could dissolve. As such, divorce was not in God’s plan. Thus, Jesus affirms the unbreakable bond of marriage. This does not mean that all must marry. There are some who are incapable of marriage. Others who renounce marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Mt 19:12). Thus, we have from Our Lord directly that married couples, unmarried single persons, and celibate Priests can all live according to their call in service of God.

But Don’t Annulments Dissolve Marriages?

No. An annulment is a declaration of nullity by the Church as a finding that on the occasion of the wedding, God did not join the couple sacramentally because of a defect in the marriage vow. The defect being known to God at that time, He honored only their civil commitment. What God did not join, man can sever. This reveals the mercy of God, that having discovered the defect later, a couple can dissolve their civil bond and even remarry.

The Church encourages all divorced couples to explore whether such a defect might have existed for them, especially if the couple find themselves already in a subsequent marriage or anticipate the possibility of a future marriage.

[Readings: EZ 16:1-15, 60, 63; MT 19:3-12]

Jerry DeMelo Jr.

Mr Jerry DeMelo, Jr OP is a life-long Catholic and life professed Lay Dominican. A graduate of the Naval Academy, he served in the US Submarine Service. He is presently a Judicial Officer in California. Jerry enjoys Catholic Pilgrimages, teaches a weekly Bible study as well as the Diaconate formation program for the Diocese of Fresno. Mr DeMelo is on the Board of Directors of Gratia Vobis Ministries.

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