In today's Gospel we have Jesus teaching a concern for social values. His teaching surrounded the application of the Mosaic code for the people in about 32 AD. He called on his hearers to focus on reconciliation.Jesus call is to peace, wholeness and renewal. We cannot adequately serve God-"our gift at the altar" if we are in an angry dislocated state. Jesus was also concerned about the social security of woman. In Jesus time women were second class and could be thrown out of a man's house with no social or financial support with no notice. This was the condition of Divorce in Jesus' day.
Sadly, this reading has been used as a weapon to hurt both women and men as well as children in our own time. The scripture has been applied in a literal way under radically different social conditions. The Anglican church has renewed its stance on divorce and recognized the social situation of today. We understand that if all efforts for reconciliation have occurred and failed, the couple are dead to each other and we must follow Jesus commandment to love, supporting people to re-start their lives and move-on in hope.
We are a church that reflects the values of Jesus. Being church or individual Christians is not about "right beliefs" but about "right actions" which reflect the meaning and actions of Jesus.
