THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Do you recognize the many ways in which God has woven bonds of love among us? These connections reflect the natural agreements that exist between us. Indeed, there is a unity in our being, as 'every creature loves its own kind' (Sir. 13:19) — from the wife coming from her husband to children descending from both. This gives rise to a variety of affections: we cherish one as a father, another as a grandfather, one as a mother, another as a caregiver, yet another as a son, grandson, or great-grandson, as well as one as a daughter or granddaughter, a brother, nephew, sister, or niece. But why categorize all forms of kinship? God has introduced another reason for love as well.
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By prohibiting marriages among close relatives, He has redirected our affections toward those outside our immediate family, knitting us together in a different way — through marriage. This unites entire households through a single bride and connects families with one another. He instructed us not to take our sister, nor our father's sister, nor any maiden closely related to us, specifying the types of relationships that would impede marriage. Your love towards them is anchored in your shared birth or other familial ties. So why limit the scope of love? Why not enhance the capacity to love by choosing a spouse from among strangers, thus gaining additional relatives — parents, siblings, and neighbors? Can you see the multitude of ways God has joined us together?