A Pope, a Bishop and a Priest

Seeds of the Word and Imperfect Situations

We know from experience that each vocation is a gift from God, planted in our hearts to grow and be blessed but at the same time we understand how sin interrupts this grace as we turn what is holy and blessed into something less that God desires for us as his beloved children. As we welcome couples into Marriage Encounter we often welcome broken hearts in need of healing. It was almost 70 years ago that Bishop Sheen recognized this hurt when he wrote, “To many married people expect their partner to give that which only God can give, namely an eternal ecstasy. If man or woman could give that which the heart wants, he or she would be God. Wanting the ecstasy of love is right, but expecting it in the flesh that is not on pilgrimage to God is wrong. The ecstasy is not an illusion; it is only the “travel folder” with its many pictures, urging the body and soul to make the journey to eternity,” (p23-24 GM)
Much ink and many tears have been spilled over this basic understanding of the nature of marriage. One of the great challenges we face is to present the truth of marriage in a society that denies many of the truths. We are invited not only to talk the talk but especially to walk the walk in our witness to marriage. It is always a difficult to speak with couples within Marriage Encounter who are struggling in their marriage. As a priest, I am challenged to witness to the truth of the Church and God’s will, but to do so in love as Pope Francis challenges, “When faced with difficult situations and wounded families, it is always necessary to recall this general principle: ‘Pastors must know that, for the sake of truth, they are obliged to exercise careful discernment of situations’ (Familiaris Consortio, 84)…Therefore, while clearly stating the Church’s teaching, pastors are to avoid judgements that do not take into account the complexity of various situations, and they are to be attentive, by necessity, to how people experience and endure distress because of their condition”. (#79 AL)
Our Holy Father speaks of the pastoral care we often witness in the Q&A on the weekend, in our Circles and the enrichments shared by the WWME community. The reaching out to individual couples seeking advice should always be a hallmark of our ministry. And within our ministry to point toward the Church which offers the healing gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a remedy to sin.
Fr. Gallagher challenges me and all presenting priests to this blessing, “Above all, the priest is there to express his tender, human, personal concern for the love each husband and wife have for one another. the priest is there to answer the unspoken question: “How much do we dare risk?”” (p 51 ME) Choosing to become vulnerable to our beloved is an invitation to witness to the truth of the Gospel of love. This continues to be the greatest blessing of my participation because when “I dare to risk” I open my heart to a deeper relationship with God and his holy people.
“The priest is not on the weekend to change people’s attitudes towards priests. If this happens, it happens incidentally. He is there to help couples realize how special they are, to see that they are not ordinary.” (p 51 ME) The reality and uniqueness of each and every marriage invites us to be the healing witness of God’s love to the couples within Marriage Encounter and all those we invite into a deeper relationship with God. The invitation into the extraordinary joy and love of God is the invitation into a grace filled relationship with my beloved. Pope Francis reminds us that this invitation is a journey where our example of faithful and faith-filled love helps the world discover the deeper meaning of sacramental marriage. “The Gospel of the family also nourishes seeds that are still waiting to grow, and serves as the basis for caring for those plants that are wilting and must not be neglected. Thus, building on the gift of Christ in the sacrament, married couples “may be led patiently further on in order to achieve a deeper grasp and a fuller integration of this mystery in their lives.”” (#76 AL) Our challenge to daily dialogue is to be attentive to our relationships that they may not wilt under the pressure of the world that seeks to intrude into the moments of love and passion that come from sacramental union. When we choose to share our deepest feelings and open our hearts to our beloved we find the healing grace of God, the seeds of the Gospel, the forgiveness of the imperfect become the joy of the shared union of life and the gift of new life in the relationship.
“All love craves unity. This is evident in marriage, where there is the unity of two in one flesh. When a person loves anything, he sees it as fulfilling a need and seeks to incorporate it to himself, whether it be the wine that he loves or the science of the stars.” (p 19 GM) Bishop Fulton Sheen knew the only passion that satisfies the soul is union of God through the sacramental grace of discovering God’s love through the sacred union with the beloved. It is the driving force of seeking that unfolds into a discipleship of sacramental love where we serve the other in the imperfect moments of life.
“Know where you’re going. That is the secret of purpose.” (p 25 USM)

Let us pray,

Our Father,
Who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
Amen

“Amoris Laetitia: The Joy of Love” Pope Francis (2016) (AL)

“The Marriage Encounter” Fr. Chuck Gallagher, SJ (1975) (ME)

“Three to Get Married” Bishop Fulton Sheen (1951) (GM)

“The 21 Undeniable Secrets of Marriage” Dr. Allen Hunt (2015) (USM)

“Love Is Our Family: The Family Fully Alive” USCCB (2014) (LOF)