19th Week in Ordinary Time. Friday. Mt. 19:3-12

Gospel (Mt 19:3-12) Some Pharisees came to Jesus and asked, testing him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?" Jesus answered, "Have you never read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female? 5 And said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man separate." 7 The Pharisees asked, "Then how did Moses command a man to give a certificate of divorce and to divorce a woman?" 8 Jesus answered, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wife because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 Therefore I tell you, anyone who divorces his wife—except for illegitimate marriage—and marries another commits adultery." 10 The disciples said to Jesus, "If this is the situation between a man and a woman, there is no point in marrying." 11 Jesus answered, "Not everyone can understand this except those to whom it has been granted. 12 For there are some who are unfit for marriage because they were born that way, others because men made them that way, and still others who have made themselves unfit for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can understand, let him understand."