As followers of Christ we are called to proclaim and teach the world about Christ and the amazing miracles of who He is, and what He has done for us. We are baptised sons and daughters of God; we are confirmed soldiers of God in the spirtual battle of good and evil; and we recieve the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation for our strength. My personal view is to leave the Bible thumping to the Protestants, and for us Catholics to lead by example. Just like the children's song "They will know we are Christians by our..", they will know we are Catholics by our lives.
But how does this apply to your marriage? In this destructive age that we are living in, a society that is trying to murder God's children, and marriage itself, it is even more important than ever that TRUE marriage is displayed as an awe inspiring goal for the rest of society. Your true Catholic marriage is a light shinning in these dark times. To participate in the community as a family, you are showing the people on the streets how important marriage and family is, and what a marriage can accomplish. What a real marriage, between one man and one woman, was meant to be by God. You may not be shouting it from the rooftops, but the average person or child passing by, or being helped by you, will see your example, and will not forget it. By sticking together through the hard times, and the good; by our morals and ethics shown through our actions, priorities, and children's behavior; by our inner joy and peace that will shine through us while we are living our lives according to the Catholic doctrine, and trusting in Jesus; being available to help and serve God through our participation with our neighbors and communities.
Choose activities that you can do together as a unit. Participate in community events and games, join and/or volunteer at local organizations such as your local Pro-Life group, Ministry Center, school Parent-Teacher organizations, Boy and Girl Scout troops, Habitat for Humanity, Relay For Life, etc. The key is to learn what your talents are individually and together and then search for groups and activites that suite your God given talents and gifts; and then get the whole family involved.
We are also called to love our neighbors, and we can show this love by volunteering in our communities with our time and money. Be the neighbor that your community can count on. I must also warn here, not to take on too much. Pray before you start anything, and ask whether this is something that Jesus wants you to spend your time on. We are all given different gifts, and so not everything is suited for everyone. Also, remember your list of priorities, and if your community participation starts to take priority over your top 4, then you need to step back and take a good look at what you are doing, and if you need to cut back, or delegate more out. One or two Parish committees, and one or two community organizations are plenty. More or less, depending on what position you take within these groups, and your family size and age, and your job demands.
But how does this apply to your marriage? In this destructive age that we are living in, a society that is trying to murder God's children, and marriage itself, it is even more important than ever that TRUE marriage is displayed as an awe inspiring goal for the rest of society. Your true Catholic marriage is a light shinning in these dark times. To participate in the community as a family, you are showing the people on the streets how important marriage and family is, and what a marriage can accomplish. What a real marriage, between one man and one woman, was meant to be by God. You may not be shouting it from the rooftops, but the average person or child passing by, or being helped by you, will see your example, and will not forget it. By sticking together through the hard times, and the good; by our morals and ethics shown through our actions, priorities, and children's behavior; by our inner joy and peace that will shine through us while we are living our lives according to the Catholic doctrine, and trusting in Jesus; being available to help and serve God through our participation with our neighbors and communities.
Choose activities that you can do together as a unit. Participate in community events and games, join and/or volunteer at local organizations such as your local Pro-Life group, Ministry Center, school Parent-Teacher organizations, Boy and Girl Scout troops, Habitat for Humanity, Relay For Life, etc. The key is to learn what your talents are individually and together and then search for groups and activites that suite your God given talents and gifts; and then get the whole family involved.
We are also called to love our neighbors, and we can show this love by volunteering in our communities with our time and money. Be the neighbor that your community can count on. I must also warn here, not to take on too much. Pray before you start anything, and ask whether this is something that Jesus wants you to spend your time on. We are all given different gifts, and so not everything is suited for everyone. Also, remember your list of priorities, and if your community participation starts to take priority over your top 4, then you need to step back and take a good look at what you are doing, and if you need to cut back, or delegate more out. One or two Parish committees, and one or two community organizations are plenty. More or less, depending on what position you take within these groups, and your family size and age, and your job demands.
No comments:
Post a Comment