IN THE FLESH

SERMON PREACHED BY FR. TONY NOBLE ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 4th 2009

Hebrews 2: 14 "Since, therefore, the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death."

During the week I went to the movies. My favourite sort of movie is a science-fiction movie, and the movie I went to see is called "Surrogates" staring Bruce Willis.

It's a movie about the future. Robots have been developed to such a degree that everyone has their own personal robot who acts on their behalf, and is called a surrogate. The movie is a commentary on our society at the moment and indeed, where it might end up. And it has some lessons for us.

We are a very hi-tech society when it comes to communication. people have conversations through email, facebook, twitter, and so on, without ever meeting the other person face to face. We see people walking down streets with earplugs and all miked up, talking in a loud voice to someone who they cannot see. It has nothing to do with us or our surroundings, and often they do it very loudly!

In the movie Surrogates, human communication has developed to a stage where people relate through personal robots called surrogates. And the surrogates look beautiful and perfect. There are no wrinkles and no frowns. People actually live through their surrogates. It is the surrogates we see walking around the city, not real people.

The humans are at home lying on a bed with head-piece and glasses. They see, hear, and speak through the surrogate - even husband and wife. By living like this they avoid danger, violence, and accidents.

After a while we get to see the humans. They never go out and they have no social interaction with each other. No emotions, no passions, no love - no real living. When we see the real people, their hair is disheveled, the women wear no make-up and the men are unshaven - mostly they are overweight and out of condition.

Maybe this movie is a prophecy? When I took it all in, I realised that the humans were no longer living. Living through their surrogates - they no longer lived in the flesh. The word flesh has many interpretations. Saint Paul was concerned about the sins of the flesh, and for him flesh was our carnal nature, prone to sin. But biblical use of the word flesh means our whole selves. Our humanity - body, mind, and spirit. Our human nature.

Flesh is the word we find in each of our three readings today. The Gospel (Mark 10:2-9) is Our Lord's comment on divorce. He quotes the Old Testament in the well-known words: "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh".

Genesis 2: 18-24 has this same verse "…they become one flesh". This reading begins with God saying: "It is not good that man should be alone", and describes how woman is created to complete creation.

In biblical descriptions of marriage the basis of marriage is firstly companionship, then the family that results. Of course, romance causes the initial attraction. But when it comes to marriage, the bible talks about the two becoming one flesh. IE, together in body, mind, and spirit.

The word flesh means real people coming together in every way. Now those of you who are married know this takes years. For marriage is a sacrifice of one's liberty for something of God.

When we consider today's Epistle (Hebrews 2: 9-18) we see the writer using the word flesh in the same way. "We see Jesus", he says - and then goes on to say that he shared the same flesh as us, so that he could be the perfect sacrifice to take away our sins.

In other words, Christ became flesh like us - body, mind, and spirit - so that he could be that sacrifice. And what was that sacrifice? An act of love!

Although the word flesh is common to all three readings today, the word that flows through them all is love.

When Hebrews declares that it was the whole person of Christ who was offered, it means he is both the sacrifice and our great High Priest.

Saint Paul connects this with marriage when he says that the husband must love his wife "as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her". The Church is therefore described as the Bride of Christ.

Since Christ's sacrifice is the revelation of God's love for us, the underlying force behind Marriage is love. And it is a love in which a person empties themselves for another - as Christ did on the Cross. Marriage is unique, and a special sacrament. But it is also an example and symbol to all of us who are called to be people of love.

Christ became flesh, became truly human, so that he could die for our sins. In doing this he illustrated one of his profound teachings: "Anyone who would save his life will lose it - and he who loses his life will save it unto life everlasting".

That is what marriage shows us - husband and wife losing themselves in each other.

So Christ became flesh to give himself up as a worthy and true offering for us.

Obviously he was no surrogate.