We may have many acquaintances, but how many real friends are among them? 'Friend' is a superficial word today - it can mean nothing more than someone you allow on your Facebook page. Sirach describes false friends as those who are interested only in their own needs. As long as things are going well, they will be there, but when the wind blows the other way, they are gone. A real friend stands by someone even when they are in trouble or in need. They are never in a friendship for themselves. Do you have friends or acquaintances? Which are you for others?

Jesus forbade divorce, even though it was permitted in his tradition. He was not trying to impose an intolerable burden on others, and he was not talking about cases of abuse, cruelty, or abandonment. He was insisting, however, that marriage was not just a business transaction and did not exist simply for the pleasure or convenience of the man. He elevated marriage to a sacramental relationship, underlining that husbands and wives do God's work in a marriage. As with all the teachings of the bible, they must always be interpreted in a context of mercy and compassion.