And no, I’m not talking about the NSA the Russians or Google.
Someone sent us a link to an article last week (thank you Ginger) in which the author reminded all of us that our marriage isn’t just for us – that our marriage is actually a living visible example to the rest of the world – and we have no idea the good we do by living a really Catholic Marriage.
It reminded me of another article I read – with a similar message – about how we are all being watched – by other couples, and by teens and young adults who are considering their own married life.
Most of us will never know the impact we are having on our friends, our neighbors, co-workers and relatives if we are making conscious decisions to live a married life of devotion to each other – where the man is demonstrating love to his wife – all the time – and where the wife is demonstrating (there’s that word again) respect to her husband – whether he’s present or at work.
The overwhelming majority of marriages are blah. Actually, I think the technical term is ‘bleh’. It means tasteless, bland, just-going-through-the-motions, and sadly, most of the marriages today are exactly that. And it’s one of the main reasons that the entertainment industry, and the sporting industry and the gaming industry (the average age of online gamers is 31!) and all the other escapist industries are thriving.
So when we demonstrate love and respect to our spouse, two very important, very amazing things happen. The first is that our own marriage becomes alive. Full Technicolor alive! And we find in our marriage joy and excitement and pleasure! And to the degree that we continue working on our own marriages, the joy and peace continues to grow.
But the second thing that happens is that we radiate outward to everyone what a living marriage looks and sounds and feels like. Without even trying, we touch so many other people – and in the process – other people will be encouraged to look at their own lives and marriages – and see that they, too, can start to come alive.
In His Sacred Heart
Timothy
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