Today, the Pharisees want to put Jesus to the test again, and they propose to him the question of divorce. But, instead of giving them a definite answer, Jesus asks them in return what the Scriptures say and, without criticizing Moses' Law, makes them understand that while that Law is legitimate, it is only temporal: "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment” (Mk 10:5).

Jesus reminds them what Genesis says: “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female” (Mk 10:6; cf. Gn 1:27). He speaks of a unity that constitutes Humanity. Man will leave father and mother and will join his wife, and the two shall become one flesh to form Mankind. This represents a new reality: Two human beings form a unity, not as an “association”, but as creators of Humanity. The conclusion is quite evident: “what God has joined together, no human being must separate." (Mk 10:9).

If we look at marriage as an association, its indissolubility cannot be fathomed. If marriage is just a matter of associated interests, we can then understand its dissolution may appear as legitimate. In this case, speaking of marriage in these terms is disdainful, as it is merely the association of two single people seeking to make their lives more enjoyable. When the Lord speaks of marriage, He is referring to something else. The Vatican II Council reminds us: “For the good of the spouses and their off-spring as well as of society, the existence of the sacred bond no longer depends on human decisions alone. For, God Himself is the author of matrimony, endowed as it is with various benefits and purposes. All of these have a very decisive bearing on the continuation of the human race” (Gaudium et Spes, n. 48).

Upon returning home, the Apostles asked him again about the demands of marriage, and this is followed by the tender scene with children. These two moments are connected. The second is like a parable explaining how marriage is possible. The Kingdom of God belongs to those who become like children and embrace the creation of something new. Marriage, likewise, when properly understood, is about leaving, uniting, and becoming.