Oct. 6: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Connected to God, each other

Gn 2:18-24; Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6; Heb 2:9-11; Mk 10:2-16 or 10:2-12

Today’s passage from Genesis 2 is a small excerpt from a story (Gn 2:4-3:24) that is likely familiar to us all. This section of the story is often chosen to be the first reading for a wedding Mass. The wider story has also become a part of secular popular culture. We see characters reference it in movies and television shows, and many songs and poems have made use of the story and its imagery, especially the images of gardens, snakes and apples (though the word “apple” does not appear in the story).

Often these interpretations of the story are incorrect, tainted from centuries old interpretations inspired by misogynistic eyes. That incorrect interpretation being, of course, that man was created first and woman was created second and from the man’s rib, thus, woman is less than man and must be subservient to him.

Even people who know nothing else about the Bible are often familiar with this story and know it by this same problematic reading. That is how firmly it has been embedded into our culture.

This can leave us feeling like we know the story inside and out. As a result, when we encounter it, we might not truly read it. We either think we know it intimately or we are simply annoyed by the story.

This text beautifully illustrates how deeply connected human beings are to each other, to God and to all creation. The first thing we see is that the first human is created from the ground (2:7) and then brought to life when God breathes the divine breath into the creature. I will call this first creature Adam to keep it simple.

Adam is the Hebrew word used in the story; however, it is not a proper name. This word more closely equates to the English words “human” or “humanity” (though in later Hebrew usage this will change). It shares its root with the Hebrew word for “earth” or “ground” —  the same earth from which God created the human (Adam).

After that, God creates other creatures from that same earth and animates with the same divine breath (2:19). So, we immediately see that humans are not only connected to these creatures, but are indeed related to them.

God sees, though, that Adam needs a different kind of relationship. So, God creates another human partner for Adam by taking from part of the human’s own body (2:22). The second human, called woman, is described as a helper for Adam, just as God is described in other biblical texts (Dt 33:7, Hos 13:4, Ps 54:6; 85:5; 118:7).

There is no subservience or subordination indicated here, as it has often been misinterpreted. Instead, this text describes the deep connection that God intended all humans to have with each other. The humans are both a part of the earth, as Adam was made from it and the woman was made from Adam. But they are even more so a part of each other because they share the same body and the exact same life-breath that God breathed into Adam (2:7).

They can support and care for each other in a way that animals cannot. Marriage is one special way humans can honor the special connection God has established between humans, as Genesis 2 and today’s Gospel emphasizes.

We were created to need and to support each other throughout life. Jesus demonstrated this reality by both supporting others and accepting support from others during his ministry. Various saints have sought ways to honor these connections, too, from working with the poor, to providing education and healthcare or by spending their lives performing small acts of kindness for everyone they met.

Pope Francis especially encourages us to care for creation, an oft neglected but very important way to honor the connections that God established between humans and creation. Some may feel called to lifelong vocations from the time they are young, others may constantly be called to different, seemingly small vocations during their lives.

How have your life callings helped you to nurture your connection to other humans, creation and to God?