I read a beautiful testament to Catholic marriage last night and wish to share it here. It's from author and OSV writer and editor Mary de Turris Poust.
She begins: "This morning I got up and hung a little sign on the window over my kitchen sink. It says: “Make a decision to love.” I taped one to the bathroom mirror and over my desk as well. What’s with the cryptic notes? They’re part of my re-entry into the real world after experiencing an eye-opening and life-changing Marriage Encounter (ME) weekend with Dennis.
This was our first ME experience, after years of hemming and hawing about whether we should go. I’d often suggest it, but we would always come up with a laundry list of excuses as to why it wasn’t possible. Mainly, how could we go away for an entire weekend when we couldn’t find a sitter for two hours on a Friday night?
And so we continued on our not-so-merry married way. We were still deeply in love, but it was a little less obvious with each passing crisis and every added responsibility. Our sacramental covenant was starting to look a lot more like a business partnership. What happened to the outward signs of love that used to make our inner commitment so apparent? If we continued to pile on things that pulled us apart, would our relationship eventually crack under pressure? We weren’t about to find out... (Continued on her blog: Not Strictly Spiritual)
"Marriage is an act of will that signifies and involves a mutual gift, which unites the spouses and binds them to their eventual souls, with whom they make up a sole family - a domestic church."~Bl. Pope John Paul II
Dear Donna-Marie
ReplyDeleteWe have heard and read so many testimonies like this over the years from couples who have attended a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend. The ministry celebrated 40 years of bringing renewal in the Church and change in the world (past of our mission Statement). There have been over 8 million couples. priests and religious worldwide and now in 92 countries who experienced the same energized renewal to their sacrament and religous vocation.
With our gratitude and prayer for all you do through EWTN TV and Lay Missionary of Charity
Tony & Cathy and Fr. Emile
International Ecclesial Team
Worldwide Marriage Encounter
wwme.org
Thank you for commenting, Tony, Cathy, and Fr. Emile.
ReplyDeleteI had always known about Marriage Encounter and have heard many great things about it. I was very happy that I could promote it through Mary de Turris Poust. She writes an intriguing account that is sure to inspire countless couples.
Feel free to come back for a visit! God bless you all during this Advent season and on this holy feast day of Our Lady!