Marriages made in heaven

God is the supreme matchmaker. God provides, particularly when it comes to finding one’s spouse. Take a good look at your wife or husband. Your spouse is a miracle, an incredible blessing, and a gift from God to you. Before the two of you met, could you ever have imagined how you would connect and fall in love?

One of the great biblical stories to demonstrate God the matchmaker is the marriage of Tobiah and Sarah. Tobiah lived in Nineveh, modern-day Mosul in northern Iraq, and Sarah lived in far-away Ecbatana, Media, in modern-day northwest Iran, separated by over 400 miles, a desert and a dangerous road.

Tobiah’s father had money deposited with a relative in Ecbatana and sent his son to recover it. Out of nowhere, the angel Raphael appeared (Tb 5:4) and served as his guide on the journey (Tb 6:2). Upon arrival, the angel Raphael told Tobiah about Sarah (Tb 6:11-13), instructed him to marry her (Tb 6:16), and Tobiah fell deeply in love with her (Tb 6:18). Sarah’s father said that their marriage was “decided in heaven” (Tb 7:11). The angel Raphael was God’s agent and messenger, so through Raphael, God guided Tobiah to Sarah, instructed him to marry her, and gave him a great love for her. God led Tobiah and Sarah to each other. No one would ever have predicted that they would meet. Their encounter, love for each other, and union to each other was God’s plan for them. It was a marriage made in heaven.

In the Gospel, there is a yet more famous couple, Mary and Joseph, which serves as another example of God the matchmaker. It is not known how Mary and Joseph met, yet deeply to establish strong roots and become fruitful. The image Jesus uses would have conveyed a strong message to the hardworking people of the land who had gathered around him, to remind them of their need to establish themselves in fertile ground and be nourished by life-giving water. The crowd comes to Jesus, who is by the sea. They didn’t come for that body of water, but rather for the “living water” that is Jesus.

This Sunday’s first reading from the prophet Isaiah (Is 55:1011) shares the words of the Lord: “Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.” according to God’s plan they were betrothed to each other (Mt 1:18). Then, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Take Mary (as) your wife into your home” (Mt 1:20), and Joseph followed the angel’s instruction when he “took his wife into his home” (Mt 1:24). Again, the angel acted as God’s agent and messenger. When the angel said, “Take Mary as your wife,” it was God who was saying, “Take Mary as your wife.” It was God’s plan that they would meet, love each other, be betrothed and then married. It was a marriage made in heaven.

Jesus sows the word of God, planting the world with his seed and nourishing it with his life. Those who listen to his words and see his deeds are called to open their hearts to recognize him for who he is and to establish themselves in him, who desires nothing more than for his seed to prosper.

Dear brothers and sisters, the different terrains conveyed in the parable represent the world in which we live, and we are the seed. But unlike seeds, we can get up and make a choice about how we want to live our lives. We can choose to cling to Jesus or allow the world and the evil one to keep us from him. May we receive the Word of God and let him flow into and through our hearts, nourishing us with his life eternal ... and may we in turn do likewise for those around us.

Father Ly is pastor of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Maplewood.

My parents serve as another striking example of God the matchmaker. My father, Arthur, was from Chaska; my mother, Lanie, was from Brandon. They were 160 miles apart, and no one could ever have predicted that they would meet. Dad had just been discharged from the Navy and somehow landed an entry-level position as an optician in St. Cloud. Mom decided to go to cosmetology school, providentially in St. Cloud. They went to the same dance — each with someone else — and by the end of the night, they ditched their dates and left together. Their acquaintance instantly grew into friendship, and their friendship blossomed into love, a love so strong that they were faithful partners in marriage for 63 years. God led them to each other and blessed them with their love for each other. It was a marriage made in heaven.

Every couple has its own unique story, and I have had the privilege of listening to hundreds of them as couples prepare for marriage. Oddsmakers would never bet on these matches. After so many personal encounters with classmates, teammates, co-workers and neighbors, why this person? Why did they connect? Why was their chemistry so good? Why did their friendship go to another level and develop into a beautiful love? The answer is by the grace of God. God led them to each other, blessed them with their love for each other, and gave them as a gift to each other. It is God’s plan for them. It is a miracle. Theirs is a marriage made in heaven.

Sunday, July 16

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 55:10-11

Rom 8:18-23 Mt 13:1-23

Monday, July 17 Ex 1:8-14, 22 Mt 10:34–11:1

Tuesday, July 18 Ex 2:1-15a Mt 11:20-24

Wednesday, July 19 Ex 3:1-6, 9-12 Mt 11:25-27

Thursday, July 20 Ex 3:13-20 Mt 11:28-30

Friday, July 21 Ex 11:10–12:14 Mt 12:1-8

Saturday, July 22 St. Mary Magdalene Sgs 3:1-4b or 2 Cor 5:14-17 Jn 20:1-2, 11-18

Sunday, July 23

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Wis 12:13, 16-19 Rom 8:26-27 Mt 13:24-43

Monday, July 24 Ex 14:5-18 Mt 12:38-42

Tuesday, July 25 St. James, apostle 2 Cor 4:7-15 Mt 20:20-28

Wednesday, July 26 Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ex 16:1-5, 9-15 Mt 13:1-9

Thursday, July 27 Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b Mt 13:10-17

Friday, July 28 Ex 20:1-17 Mt 13:18-23

Saturday, July 29 Sts. Martha, Mary and Lazarus Ex 24:3-8 Jn 11:19-27 or Lk 10:38-42

Sunday, July 30

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12

Rom 8:28-30

Mt 13:44-52

KNOW the SAINTS

ST. CAMILLUS DE LELLIS (1550-1614) Though this tall, young Italian was restricted by an ulcerated leg, he worked as a hospital servant and Venetian soldier. After gambling away all his property, he became a laborer at the Manfredonia Capuchin monastery and in 1575 tried to join the Capuchins. But his leg wound returned, and he was in and out of the hospital, eventually deciding to devote his life to caring for the sick. Camillus was ordained in 1584 and founded the Order of the Servants of the Sick, more generally known as the Camillians. He is a patron of the sick, of hospitals and of nurses. His feast day is July 18.

ECHOES OF CATHOLIC MINNESOTA REBA LUIKEN