What is God’s Plan for marriage?
This week on Respect Life Sunday, Jesus puts forth God’s plan for marriage…
2. Marriage is about FAITHFULNESS: Jesus says, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote this commandment.” Jesus is replying to the Pharisees who said, “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.”
One of the primary reasons men and women divorce is because over time their hearts are “hardened” because one or both stops being faithful to showing true love to one another. A great book for couples to read is “The 5 Love Languages”. In this book, the author Gary Chapman explores the 5 ways men and women express love. The book helps a wife and husband to figure out what makes their spouse feel loved. Inevitably, when a couple does this and is faithful to this, the marriage becomes very strong. Also, faithfulness to prayer and the sacraments make a couple fireproof in their relationship.
Anything that takes one’s heart away from one’s heart must go! That can be anything from a “particular friendship” with a person of the opposite sex at work that is too emotionally charged, an addiction to pornography, or to a hobby that draws too much time away from your spouse and children.
3. Finally, Marriage is about FRUITFULNESS: Notice this week the Responsorial Psalm says:
“Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; your children like olive plants around your table.”
Marriage is about having children that God wants a couple to have. John Paul II in a homily when he came to the United States said, “Fathers and Mothers give your sons and daughters the gift of brothers and sisters.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “By its very nature the institution of marriage and married love is ordered to the procreation and education of offspring.” A married couple is called to be open to children and raise them to know God.
In Christ,
Fr. Larry