—St. Augustine of Hippo
Love’s Call - Deep Commitment
On Saturday, January 26, 2013, we hosted 68 couples for Pre-Cana instructions and preparation for marriage here at St. Joseph Parish. These classes are held 3 times per year at St. Joseph. It is a tremendous grace to share road maps, important topics, faith witness and wisdom-experience. As one presenting couple said, “You get a university education in having children! We should always bow in respect and appreciation for the 2,000 year history and longevity for the Catholic Church, that guides, teaches and forms us into being the people that God wants us to be.”
Like the call of the Prophet Jeremiah, (Chapter 1), God assures the prophet in many powerful ways by “I” statements: “I formed you;” “I knew you;” “I consecrated you;” “I appointed you;” “I command you;” “I am with you.” As God assures Jeremiah, He assures each of us and supports us to answer the call to be faithful to God, to others and ourselves - for this is the ‘zenith’ of love in any Christian vocation.
We hear of Paul’s “Hymn of Love’ that is often read at weddings. (1 Cor 12:31,13:13) Paul reminds us that Godly love is only possible through the presence and the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit, active and alive in our lives. God’s grace empowers us to love in greater measure. Love is a mystery. It begins and ends with God. Love is the source of the call of every Christian vocation. Love is an awareness of living in the holy presence of God each day. Love is to be free of sin. Love is growing in faith and prayer. Love is not always easy. Love is inclusive, never excluding. Love is the sacred vessel in which hearts heal the world. Love demands sacrifice, suffering, sanctity and service.
St. Paul writes, “If I have no love, I have nothing.” (1 Cor 13:2) “Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous, conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered, selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; its faith, hope and patience never fail. Love is eternal. (1 Cor 13:4-8) ...and three things remain: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13:13)
At the end of the day the participants are invited to give their comments on an evaluation sheet. There, at the bottom of one sheet, where the positive and negative comments, the strengths and weaknesses of the program are stated, was the comment, “Why do we have to go to church?” (The Pre-Cana day begins at 8:00 am and ends at 5:00 pm following Mass.) It made me think about a woman, who went to see her doctor with a whole list of complaints. She gave an “organ recital” of all the ailments plaguing her organs. But the doctor could find no real physical ailment upon examining her. He suspected that the woman’s negative outlook on life was her real problem. The doc got up from his desk and pointed to a shelf filled with bottles and said to the woman, “Look at these bottles. All of them are empty. I can take one of them and fill it with poison, enough to kill a human being. Or I can take the same bottle and fill it with medicine, enough to cure a headache or bring down a fever, or kill bacteria. The next thing, is that I make the choice. I can fill each bottle with something hurtful or with something helpful.” The doctor looked the patient in the eye and said, “Each day that God gives us is like one of those empty bottles. We can choose to fill it with positive thoughts that lift us and others; or we can fill it with negative thoughts that depress us and everyone else. The choice is ours.”
God’s love is the source of our call, the unity of our vocation, and the healer of our souls. I reminded the engaged couples that the closer we are to Jesus, the more loving we will be toward others. At the high points and low points of our lives, God is always with us.
You Build Love
You build in the hearts of fathers
The love for their sons and their daughters.
But infinitely more marvelous, Lord,
Is your love for us, your sons and your daughters.
Thank you for loving us in this way!
You create in the hearts of mothers
The tenderness for their children.
But infinitely more marvelous, Lord,
Is your love for us, your children.
Thank you for loving us in this way!
You raise up in the heart of a husband
The love for the wife of his youth.
But infinitely more marvelous, Lord,
Is your love for your Church, your fiancée.
Thank you for loving us in this way!
You awaken in the heart of all
The desire for a universal family.
But infinitely more marvelous, Lord,
Is your love which gathers all your children
Into Your Kingdom.
Thank you for loving us in this way!
Teach us, O Lord, to take time
To admire the splendor of the lilies of the field,
To listen to the song of the nightingale,
To discover in your creation the signs of your Providence.
We will worry no more about tomorrow
Which will be the first day of eternity.
We will trust in your love
Today, tomorrow, and forever and ever. Amen.
—Fr. Lucien Deiss, c.s.sp.
From the book, “A Garden of Prayers”
