no separation
"Therefore let no man separate what God has joined." —Mark 10:9
Jesus does not want husband and wife to be separated. Also, He became angry at His disciples for separating some children from Him (Mk 10:14). Furthermore, Jesus does not want parents separated from their children. Let no overtime, life-style, day care, extracurricular activities, school, etc. separate what God has joined together. Moreover, Jesus does not want family members separated from each other by TV, overwork, communication breakdown, and independent life-styles. Jesus even refuses to separate Christians from their enemies (see Mt 13:30).
The Lord does not want sexual relations separated from marriage. In addition, Jesus, the Author of Life (Acts 3:15), does not want sperm and egg to be separated through the use of artificial contraception or sterilization. He does not want marriage separate from childbearing, nor childbearing separated from making these children disciples for Jesus. The Lord abhors the separation of a newly created human being from the womb of its mother. Let no one separate by abortion the baby from the mother.
Finally, let no one separate Christians from one another. The Lord has joined us to Him and to one another in Baptism (1 Cor 12:13). We are brothers and sisters in Him. We must live in real Christian community and not in worldly isolation and individualism. Let nothing separate what God has joined.
Prayer: Father, by my life may I never choose separation from You forever (see Mt 25:32).
Promise: "Indeed, it was fitting that when bringing many sons to glory God, for Whom and through Whom all things exist, should make their Leader in the work of salvation perfect through suffering." —Heb 2:10
Praise: Alleluia! Jesus holds "the keys of death and the nether world" (Rv 1:18). He is risen! Alleluia!
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, March 22, 1997
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 26, 1997