The Valley Catholic
Spirituality/Family Life
Marriage Minute:
Our love changes the world
By Paul & Stephanie Francois
Worldwide Marriage Encounter
On our Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend, I heard
something I had not heard before – our marriage is a VOCATION. I pondered
that and thought the presenters must be mistaken or perhaps I heard them
incorrectly. Priests and nuns have vocations, not married people. As I continued to listen, their words began to sink in and it dawned on me they were
right – our marriage IS a vocation.
As married couples, we have been called by God to live out our vows as a
sacrament, that is, in a manner in which we make visible the reality of God’s
love. Others should (ideally) be able to look at a married couple and say, “Ah, so
that’s what God’s love looks like.” When I realized the responsibility of what
we were being called to as a married couple, I began to quiver in amazement.
Some of the things we continue to work on in our marriage to keep our
sacrament shiny include:
• Remembering that love is not a feeling; it is a decision we make many
times a day.
• Forgiveness is necessary to heal the hurts that will inevitably happen
between us.
• Striving to be other-centered rather than self-centered.
• Worshipping together and sharing our faith journey; helping each other
to grow in holiness.
• Praying for and with each other.
• Practicing patience and using a tone of voice that is loving, kind and
gentle.
By striving to live out the vocation of a sacramental marriage, I realize that
our love has tremendous potential to change the world. Married couples in love
teach their children how to love and live together in a joy-filled relationship.
The loving married couple shares this love with the kids they coach in
sports, their coworkers, their neighbors, their fellow parishioners. Love begets
love and that is good for our world. Now, doesn’t that sound like a life worthy
of our calling? For more information on creating a joy-filled marriage, visit:
www.lovemoredeeply.org.
Marriage isn’t easy,
but it’s beautiful, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Catholic
Church must help young people
understand that marriage isn’t always
easy, “but it is so beautiful,” Pope
Francis said.
“There are problems in marriage:
different points of view, jealousies,
arguments, but tell young couples to
never let the day end without making
peace. The sacrament of matrimony is
renewed in this act of peace,” the pope
said Oct. 25 during a meeting with