By the Faithful Disciple
GROW AS A DISCIPLE
Everything in God’s creation is intended to reflect his goodness and proclaim his glory. It’s not hard to understand this idea when we behold the majesty of the sea. It can be more difficult, however, to remember this is also present in each of us and in our relationships – including that relationship God designed for man and woman: marriage. Our ability to turn away from God means that we sometimes reject, rather than reflect, him. This is one reason why Jesus responds to the Pharisees’ question by revoking Moses’ allowance for divorce, a concession God had made to the Israelites in the Old Testament. Jesus’ statement might be unsettling because, in our time, divorce has affected nearly everyone in one way or another. But his words indicate the strength of the covenant the Lord has made with us: his love is permanent and unbreakable. We learn that the unbreakable bond between spouses reflects, in an imperfect way, God’s perfectly faithful love for us.
GO EVANGELIZE
We find this truth about love in the wisdom of the Church. Love is not a “feeling.” It is an action – a virtue – in which we consistently will the good of another. After all, this is who and what God is: a continuous outpouring of love. Our triune God is a relational community of love, and Jesus offers us the preeminent example of this: As the Son and out of love for the Father, he chose to remain on the cross, regardless of how he felt. Such was his love for us that he willed our redemption and sent us the Spirit to help us remain with him. Marriage, designed by God to mirror this triune communal, covenantal love, likewise requires a decision to love that is firm and constant, despite how we might feel. If we wish to be capable of the fidelity required for marriage, family life, or simply for our relationship with God, we must make the deliberate choice to love – and we must do it over and over. With time and with God’s grace, the habit of choosing another’s good becomes easier, and we experience the joy of a stable and authentic love.
PRACTICE
We can reflect God’s faithful love by becoming faithful ourselves. Choose one or two ways to exercise fidelity in little things this week. Examples might be getting up at the same time every morning without hitting the “snooze” button; spending five extra minutes in prayer each day; or offering a prayer of thanksgiving to God every time you are tempted to check your phone unnecessarily.