Greetings
Prayer Warriors,
My young adult daughter was visiting this weekend and with
it came the opportunity for me to see her friends, some of which I have known
since childhood. I love hearing about their
journey of life; where they are now and where they hope to be. One friend had just returned from being the
Maid of Honor in a wedding. While
catching the bride’s bouquet used to be a prized feat, apparently that isn’t
true today. Her single friend related,
“I saw the bouquet coming right at me and I was so flustered I dropped my
beer!” She went on to say that nobody
wanted the bouquet. “I’m not ready to
take the step of living with my boyfriend yet, let alone marrying him!” she
exclaimed. Several other friends discussed delaying marriage until they each
had everything completely in order. Living together was the middle ground.
While these sentiments are not unique to today, they are
more common. It made me ponder the state of marriage today and in the future. While it’s a good idea for both parties to be
mature enough to enter into marriage, at what point does one become so absorbed
in creating their own way of life that it becomes too difficult to compromise
with another’s way? As sex outside of
marriage is commonplace and just a means of recreation, will true intimacy be
possible within a marriage without first a change of heart?
These are questions that I am not qualified to answer. However, I do know though, that the youth of
today need our prayers. Out of love, let
us continue to pray for marriage.
Set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Like obedient children, do not act in
compliance with the desires of your former ignorance but, as
he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct,
1 Peter 1:13-15
God our Father, we give
you thanks for the gift of marriage: the bond of life and love, and the font of
the family. The love of husband and wife enriches your Church with children, fills
the world with a multitude of spiritual fruitfulness and service, and is the
sign of the love of your Son, Jesus Christ, for his Church. The grace of Jesus
flowed forth at Cana at the request of the Blessed Mother. May your Son, through
the intercession of Mary, pour out upon us a new measure of the Gifts of the
Holy Spirit as we join with all people of good will to promote and protect the
unique beauty of marriage. May your Holy Spirit enlighten our society to
treasure the heroic love of husband and wife, and guide our leaders to sustain
and protect the singular place of mothers and fathers in the lives of their
children. Father, we ask that our prayers be joined to those of the Virgin
Mary, that your Word may transform our service so as to safeguard the
incomparable splendor of marriage. We ask all these things through Christ our
Lord, Amen.*
Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet
Prayer is a beautiful gift that is priceless. Be a generous gift giver and continue to pass
it on!
