Since last Tuesday our country has been celebrating National Marriage Week; it will end this Tuesday on Valentine's Day. It is a week dedicated to strengthening marriages. Today let us pray for all who are married, especially for those who are in the early years of marriage, that love will continue to grow and be fruitful.
Marriage is mentioned in this Sunday's gospel, once again from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus points us deeper into several areas of human life, and he does so in order that we might bring the law to fulfillment. One of those areas is married life. Although he focuses his commands on divorce, Jesus wants each person of faith to find the fullness of blessing, especially in married life. Jesus gives us himself as the example of sacrificial love.
Catholics believe that marriage comes as a gift from the hand of God. The Catholic vision of marriage is rooted in Sacred Scripture and is expressed in the teachings and practices of the Church, containing these main elements:
- Marriage unites a couple in faithful and mutual love
- Marriage opens a couple to giving life
- Marriage is a way to respond to God’s call to holiness
- Marriage calls the couple to be a sign of Christ’s love in the world
I recommend this website for more information on the Catholic teachings and how the Church supports married life: http://www.foryourmarriage.org Do you have a major wedding anniversary this year? Later in the spring the parish will help you celebrate with a special meal. We are still working out the date.