Pray for Marriages (Rejoice in His Love)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Today I was intrigued by a comment I read by St Bernard of Clairvaux.  He said that pilgrims on the spiritual journey face alternately in two directions: 

• When we look at ourselves, we are saddened by our failings
• When we look at God, we rejoice in His love

In marriage, I think we sometimes twist this.  Instead of looking inward, we look outward at our spouse and are saddened by their failings.  Then we look to God and rejoice that we have no failings!  When this happens, we have wandered off and usually don’t even know it until we find ourselves deep in the forest.  However, if we get lost in the darkness and call upon Him, as a loving Father, He will rush to us and illuminate us with light.  With new clarity, we discover and acknowledge our failings, bask in the mercy of God, and rejoice in His unconditional love.

His divine power has bestowed on us everything that makes for life and devotion, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and power. Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love. 1 Peter 1:3-7

Pray for marriages that together, spouses may rejoice in God’s love; that together, they may pray for the grace to be healed from their sinful desires, bad choices, self-love, and failure to please God above all.  Lord hear us and teach us to love each other as you love us, for such pure love conquers all.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Our hope is in Him who always keeps His promises. Pass along some hope!