THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Do you notice how intricately God has woven bonds of affection among us? Within this framework, we find the inherent promises of harmony. Indeed, the unity found in our shared nature encourages this, for as it is written, “every animal loves the like of itself” (Sir. 13:19)—the wife originating from her husband and children stemming from both. Consequently, we experience various forms of love: one love reflects that of a father, another as a grandfather; we love as mother, as nurse, as son or grandson, as daughter or granddaughter, and as siblings or cousins. Yet, what necessitates the categorization of each kinship?
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God has employed a different principle of love—by prohibiting unions among relatives, He has directed our affections toward those outside our familial ties, drawing us closer to them. Though these individuals are not connected to us by blood, God has linked us through the covenant of marriage, uniting entire households through a single bride and aligning families together. He has commanded, “Do not take as your wife your sister, nor your father's sister, nor any other maiden related to you in a way that precludes marriage,” explicitly naming the relational boundaries. Your innate love for them arises simply from sharing the same lineage or through other connections. Therefore, why limit the expanse of love? Why not enhance our capacity to love by extending it toward those who are unfamiliar to us and, through marriage, integrating their relatives—parents, siblings, and neighbors—into our lives? Can you see the multitude of ways God has brought us together?