One Flesh (27th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

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In his 1950 encyclical Humani Generis, Pope Pius XII underscored the importance of believing in the historicity of Adam and Eve by condemning the doctrine of “Polygenism,” which holds that not all human beings descend from Adam and Eve, either by denying their existence or denying that all ancestries derive from them. “For the faithful cannot embrace that opinion,” he wrote, “which maintains that either after Adam there existed on this earth true men who did not take their origin through natural generation from him as from the first parent of all, or that Adam represents a certain number of first parents.” (Humani Generis §37)

There are many reasons why it is necessary to hold that Adam and Eve were real persons. One has to do with the transmission of original sin, since St. Paul teaches that from one man sin entered the world (Rom. 5:12-18). Another is that in Luke, Jesus’ genealogy is ultimately traced back to Adam (Lk. 3:38).

But besides this, another critical reason, which we find in today’s reading, is that our concepts of marriage and family originate with the first couple. From the very beginning, God made man not to be alone, but to be with a partner who is complementary to him, as the Hebrew phrase “helper fit for him” (‘ezer knegdо̄) indicates.

This first couple serves as the template for all future marriages, which is why marriage has always been meant to be one man with one woman. Even in instances in the Old Testament when polygamy was practiced by certain individuals, it was always seen at best as something to be tolerated as less than ideal, and at worst as a snare that would lead to sin (e.g. Deut. 17:17).

This is also the reason why divorce is wrong. Even in the Old Testament, when it was tolerated, God made clear that He hates divorce (Mal. 2:16). In the Gospel, Jesus brings us back to the ideal that was espoused in Genesis by saying that anyone who divorces apart from sexual immorality,[1] and marries another, is guilty of adultery (Mk. 10:2-16).[2]

In an age of no-fault divorce and broken homes, this teaching is a sober reminder that we must treat marriage as holy and avoid things like divorce that cheapen and destroy this sacred institution. Couples must take seriously their vow to love and stay with one another for life, and we pray for all marriages, especially those which are in danger of faltering. Only by doing this can we safeguard marriage and give it the respect and reverence it deserves.

J. Luis Dizon

Notes

[1] The Greek word for “sexual immorality” is pornenia, from which we get the word pornography.  Basically it refers to relationships that were pornenia, or inappropriate, such as a man marrying his daughter or his sister.  Divorce is not always a sin.  Usually people have good reasons to separate.  Even Canon Law allows for separation (not so much for divorce).

[2] However, Canon Law does allow for separation (without divorce) in cases where physical or phycological abuse is present, in order to protect the abused spouse. Even in such cases, remarriage is not permitted, and reconciliation remains the ideal solution, even if it is not always possible (see CCC 1649).