You may wander why on such important occasion , when Jesus has his core talk about who he is and what he expects us to do, I am the bread of life,

Why the second reading talks about wives and husbands?

Wives be subject to your husbands, for the husband is the head of the wife

Wives be subject in everything to their husbands, 

First of all this text is not about wives being lower than husbands,

not literally about wives being subject to husbands,

not about husband being head of the wife..

So why?

Church puts together Jesus talk about Eucharist, that he gives himself for the life of the world and realtion husband – wife because

1. marriage is the reflection of Jesus love to the Church-
2. and this passage from letter to Ephesians is not about reminding women where is their place, no! It’s about husbands!

What Paul does here, is that he writes kind of mystical text, reflection about husband-wife relation,

mystical- because it is all about in the reference to the church, and to the sacrifice and love Christ Jesus has toward the church – all of us.

 

As Jesus gives his life to the church, as Jesus obligates himself to be always for us, to feed us, to nourishes us , to forgive us our sins,

So also husbands are called to do that same:

Give themselves totally to their wives.

With many challenging consequences of it which we are able to see from analogy about Jesus and the Church.

1. Jesus Christ God, he sacrificed many privileges that come from being God in order to become man, be man, to die as a men and give life for the humanity

So husband also is called to sacrifice, first, patriarchal privileges of being the head of the wife- by not abusing manly strength, voice, power and other arguments in order to rule over wife.

Question, dear husbands is: what privileges, what habits you could change for the sake of your wife. What really bothers her, but you don’t take it seriously?

 

It might be that you leave your socks all the time on the floor, or

postpone projects and tasks your wife so patiently ask you do to.. or

that you look on other women while walking or driving with her, and she hates it but you still do it, or

that you watch tv and don’t talk to her enough, or rather don’t listen to her enough

And your answer might be mostly that same:

Go away women, give me break! This is all I have from life..

 

Yes, we are called guys, husbands, to sacrifice those privileges that belong to us for the sake and love and happiness of your wives..

..as st Paul said today, Even so Husbands should love their wives as their own bodies

and Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her

 

 

Fasting. Have you ever brothers fasted for your wife, fiancé,

I began my fast few days ago. It just hit me: so many of my friends have trouble in marriage,

Crisis in marriage, or wrong relationship or ilness. And yes I prayer for them every day. But I decided to do a little bit more.

I gave up for one moth alcohol. Not because I have problem with it but because I simply enjoy it.

I believe and scripture conforms that our fasting make a lot of sense. And brings about more Gods Spirit to our lives

 

So I would like to encourage you husbands, to gave up something and offer it for your spouses, for growth in to mutual love, respect and understanding.

Don’t wait for lent or advent.

Start it now.

Just give up something that maybe is good for you but is more just a pleasure think.

Don’t wait for your wife to be more subject to you. Instead fallow Christ who give himself to us, the Church, his bride.

 

Even so Husbands should love their wives as their own bodies

and Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her!

 

full text of the readings on:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/082315.cfm