This is National Marriage Week! The Catholic Church and other churches and agencies are asking us to pray for and to encourage married and engaged couples. I realize that our society does not value marriage as it once did but that doesn't mean that marriage is not important. Strong marriages have the power to change to world for the better. As they live out their vows to one another in love and in sacrifice the married couple blesses their community by raising good kids, supporting one-another fiscally, emotionally and physically, and by serving their community in beneficial ways.
On the other hand, a bad or broken marriage can change the world, too. Much emotional, financial and family damage can come from broken marriages. It is estimated that as many as 80% of the inmates in prisons come from broken families. I visit our Juvenile Detention Center every Monday evening and have been doing so for over four years. I have visited hundreds of kids and I can tell that less then 20 of them came from a home that had both biological parents.
If you are a person who likes a fiscally responsible government you should support, pray for and encourage strong marriages. When marriages end, the local, state, county, and federal governments are often called on to supplement the situation financially. But the real reason to support good marriages is because they are good for the couple, the children and the society. John Paul II is quoted as saying "the future of humanity depends on marriage and the family". WOW! Marriage is important.
What do we do? Encourage engaged couples to seek good pre-marriage preparation at their church or from a trained professional. Work for laws that support marriage and family. Discourage people from living together prior to marriage - the divorce rate is about 45% higher for those couples who do so. Pray, pray, pray that God's grace will be the glue the holds couples together through difficult and trying times.
Are you married or thinking about getting married? Check out this website: www.foryourmarriage.org
Dear Deacon John:
ReplyDeleteMarriage is important to a good society. Yes, there are problems in marriages and I think if we are truthful we have all had our share. That does not mean that we just walk away from a very important commitment that we have made to God, the members of our churches and communities. I have noticed in this generation that there is a lack of trying to work things out. It is as if the person they are married to is some throw away toy when they get tired of them, moving on to some new toy. I have seem as I am sure you have how it affects the children when one of the parents leave the house and move in with someone else. They are just destroyed mentally as well as the stigma that it brings to them as others talk about them. Marriage is under attack by this society because sexual gratification is the name of the game, no matter if it is between the same sexes or not. Because someone does not believe in marriage between the same sex they are considered a bigot and are harassed because of their belief. This society will not survive the way it is presently going, as they go after those who refuse to marry people of the same sex. I predict that it is going to get worse before it gets better. In fact it just may be to late to turn things around. Jesus Christ did not say that following Him would be easy, but He did say if you endure to the end, I have a place for you in My Fathers Kingdom. So I plan on standing strong with the teachings of my church and if the road get rough then so be it.
Deacon Steve