(continued from last week)
Last week we discussed the truth that God plans for you to be happy in your marriage. Intimately related to happiness is holiness. Happiness in marriage is the fruit and the good that result from the mutual sanctification to which spouses commit as helper to one another (Gen 2:18). This can only happen when spouses painstakingly, in CHARITY establish and nurture genuine friendship-love between them which must remain constant in good as well as in challenging times all their life.
MARRIAGE: A COMMUNION OF LOVE AND LIFE
Today, still reflecting on Marital Happiness, let us look at another important reality that God plans for your marriage: that your marriage is a Communion of Love and Life. You as husband or wife exists only to communicate/to embody/to transmit in its deepest form, Love and Life to each other and together to your family and society! As Catholics, we are very familiar with the meaning of communion. Sadly, perhaps that also creates the problem of over familiarity for many, so much so that the real meaning of communion within marriage is lost or at least the impact is greatly reduced. However, do understand that within your marriage, God’s plan is for husband and wife to be intimate, best friends, with very strong bonds, supporting each other in mutual and lasting love.
Spouses through their attitudes, lifestyle, body language and spoken words do commune daily at various levels, but what are the products of their communion: Love that leads to Life or hate that leads to death or just INDIFFERENCE – that poison of relationships?
Some important points to note:
- In God’s plan, the first beneficiaries of Marriage as Communion of Love and Life are the spouses themselves, then the children to whom their love gives life and the society at large. Such spouses form the foundation for happy, stable and progressive families, faith-filled domestic churches which in turn lead to just, peaceful and prosperous society as well as vibrant and worshipful Church/Christian Communities.
- Love and Life in marriage cannot be separated. Any attempt to do so can only damage the marriage at its roots!
- The call to Communion in Marriage gives rise to the special call to RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD. We shall explore this topic in more details next week please God!
Flash back!
As you read this, can you flash back on your lived experience of your marriage so far and assess the level of communion between you and your wife/husband? (Individually and /or as couple)
Has it in fact been a communion of Love and Life or the opposite? By their fruits, you shall know…
Whatever it has been, can you identify 2-5 factors that influenced the kind of communion that you have experienced in your marriage so far? Be honest with yourselves. Only the truth will set you free!
Just remember that HAPPINESS as God’s plan for your marriage is still true and can become a reality in your life! Remember also that HELP is available and within your reach so there is no need to die in silence, living less than the ideal married life that God through His Church is offering you!
I pray may the Holy Spirit enlighten you as you reflect on the reality of your marriage! Till next week my dear Friends, best wishes and God bless you.[Contact phone number for enquiries: 0701 212 7787].