Thursday, June 4, 2015

The noble purposes of marriage: Daily Mass Homily--Thursday, June 4th, 2015


(Listen to this homily here).

            Our reading continues from Tobit and we hear again of God’s providence.  In a particular way, Tobit is a love story—a story of the marriage between Tobias and Sarah.
            This lengthy reading contained one of my favorite wedding readings.  Picture Tobias and Sarah on their wedding night, getting out of bed, kneeling and praying together.  What a good start to a marriage!
            Tobias prays some powerful words: “Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine not because of lust, but for a noble purpose.  A noble purpose—isn’t that what marriage is all about?
            Our secular society has lost sight of the noble purpose of marriage.  No longer does it take three to marry.  Divorce, contraception, abortion, infidelity—all are running rampant and none are noble.  Neither is the reduction of love to emotions or feelings.  Love is a choice and requires actions.
            For those of you who are married—remember the noble purposes of marriage.  You are called to lead your spouse and children to heaven!  You are called to be united with your spouse and be open to life—this is noble!  It is probably never fun to wake up in the middle of the night to change a baby’s nasty diaper—but you do.
            We are called to be leaven in our society to help recover the noble purposes of marriage.  In so doing, we will be loving God and neighbor in a greater way in the process.

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