In the time of Jesus, it was relatively easy for a man, who wanted to be rid of his wife, to divorce her by putting his name to a document. This could be done on the most selfish and trivial of grounds. But Jesus sees marriage as by its nature a life-long commitment and relationship. Jesus quotes from the Book of Genesis where, in the story of the Creation, it says that a man will leave his parents and unite himself with his wife. So close is the relationship that they are no longer two but "one body". In fact, we know that in a true marriage this is what happens - each becomes a part of the other. The separation by death can be extremely painful for the one who survives. Marriage, of its very nature, is a lifelong partnership. However, we know that not all marriages work out for one reason or another and separation may be inevitable. Separation, however, is not the same as divorce, which proclaims a former valid relationship null and void. Let us pray today for all those who are in difficult marriages and do all we can to be helpful and supportive.