Rebel Against This Culture That Sees Everything As Temporary

Pope Francis said: “Today, there are those who say that marriage is out of fashion; in a culture of relativism and the ephemeral, many preach the importance of ‘enjoying’ the moment. They say that it is not worth making a life-long commitment, making a definitive decision, ‘forever,’ because we do not know what tomorrow will bring.”

“I ask you, instead, to be revolutionaries, to swim against the tide; yes, I am asking you to rebel against this culture that sees everything as temporary and that ultimately believe that you are incapable of responsibility, that you are incapable of true love. I have confidence in you and I pray for you. Have the courage ‘to swim against the tide.’ Have the courage to be happy,” the Pope added.

http://www.rappler.com/world/35077-pope-youth-marriage

On Christian Marriage Excerpt

In 1930, Pope Pius XI wrote the encyclical Casti Connubii (On Christian Marriage), in which he restated the Church’s position on contraception: “We admonish, therefore, priests who hear confessions and others who have the care of souls ... not to allow the faithful entrusted to them to err regarding this most grave law of God. ... If any confessor or pastor of souls, which may, God forbid, lead the faithful entrusted to him into these errors or should at least confirm them by approval or by guilty silence, let him be mindful of the fact that he must render a strict account to God, the Supreme Judge, for the betrayal of his sacred trust”

Christianity Has Glorified Marriage More Than Any Other Religion

CS Lewis: "Christianity has glorified marriage more than any other religion: and nearly all the greatest love poetry in the world has been produced by Christians. If anyone says that sex, in itself, is bad, Christianity contradicts him at once."

The Relationship Between Eros And Agape Is Deeply Rooted In The Mystery Of The Incarnation

What Pope Benedict teaches about the proper relationship between eros (human love) and agape (divine love) is deeply rooted in the mystery of the Incarnation and, in turn, the Trinity. Eros is distinct from agape, just as the human nature in Christ is distinct from the divine. Furthermore, just as the human and divine natures in Christ are profoundly and indissolubly united, so are erotic and divine love (or at least, they should be). Indeed, the proper unity of eros and agape flows precisely from the mystery of the Incarnation, in which the human and divine meet in an embrace that never ends. - Christopher West

Faith In The God Who Became Man Is Believing In A God With A Body...This Faith Is Real And Fulfilled; It Brings Full Union Only If It Is Corporeal, If It Is A Sacramental Event In Which The Corporeal Lord Seizes Hold Of Our Bodily Existence

We have just heard the dramatic and incomparably explicit words of Jesus from John's Gospel: "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you...My flesh is food indeed" (6:53, 55). When the murmuring of the Jews arose, the controversy could easily have been quieted by the assurance: Friends, do not be disturbed; this was only metaphorical language; the flesh only signifies food, it isn't actually that! - But there is nothing of that in the Gospel. Jesus renounces any such toning down.; he just says with renewed emphasis that this bread has to be literally, physically eaten. He says that faith in the God who became man is believing in a God with a body and that this faith is real and fulfilled; it brings full union only if it is corporeal, if it is a sacramental event in which the corporeal Lord seizes hold of our bodily existence. In order to express fully the intensity and reality of this fusion, Paul compares what happens in Holy Communion with the physical union between man and woman. To help us understand the Eucharist, he refers us to the words in the creation story: "The two [= man and wife] shall become one" (Gen 2:24). And he adds: "He who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit [that is, shares a single new existence in the Holy Spirit] with him" (1 Cor 6:17)


When we hear this, we at once have some notion of how the presence of Jesus Christ is to be understood. It is not something at rest but is a power that catches us up and works to draw us within itself. Augustine had a profound grasp of this in his teaching on Communion. In the period before his conversion, when he was struggling with the incarnational aspect of Christian belief, which he found impossible to approach from the point of view of Platonic idealism, he had a sort of vision, in which he heard a voice saying to him: "I am the bread of the strong, eat me! But you will not transform me and make me part of you; rather, I will transform you and make you part of me." In the normal process of eating. He takes things in, and they are assimilated into him, so that they become part of his own substance. They are transformed within him and go to build up his bodily life. But in the mutual relation with Christ it is the other way around; he is the heart, the truly existent being. When we truly communicate, this means that we are taken out of ourselves, that we are assimilated into him, that we become one with him and, through him, with the fellowship of our brethren. - Pope Benedict XVI, God Is Near Us

God From God And Light From Light, Entered Into Human History Through The Family

The only-begotten Son, of one substance with the Father, "God from God and Light from Light", entered into human history through the family: "For by his incarnation the Son of God united himself in a certain way with every man. He laboured with human hands... and loved with a human heart. Born of Mary the Virgin, he truly became one of us and, except for sin, was like us in every respect". If in fact Christ "fully discloses man to himself", he does so beginning with the family in which he chose to be born and to grow up. We know that the Redeemer spent most of his life in the obscurity of Nazareth, "obedient" (Lk 2:51) as the "Son of Man" to Mary his Mother, and to Joseph the carpenter. Is this filial "obedience" of Christ not already the first expression of that obedience to the Father "unto death" (Phil 2:8), whereby he redeemed the world? - Blessed Pope John Paul II, Letter to families, 1994

Christian Wives And Mothers Owe Gratitude To The Catholic Church

Christian wives and mothers, what gratitude you owe to the Catholic Church for the honorable position you now hold in society! If you are no longer regarded as the slave, but the equal of your husband; if you are no longer the toy of his caprice and liable to be discarded at any moment, like the women of Turkey and the Mormon wives of Utah; but if you are recognized as the mistress and queen of your household, you owe your emancipation to the Church. You are especially indebted for your liberty to the Popes who rose up in all the majesty of their spiritual power to vindicate the rights of injured wives against the lustful tyranny of their husbands.

How opposite is the conduct of the fathers of the so-called Reformation, who, with the cry of religious reform on their lips, deformed religion and society by sanctioning divorce. - Cardinal Gibbons

The Fellowship Of A Christian Husband And Wife Is Cemented By The Grace Of God

Matrimony is not only a natural contract between husband and wife, but it has been elevated for Christians, by Jesus Christ, to the dignity of a Sacrament: “Husbands,” says the Apostle, “love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church and delivered Himself up for it, ... so also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.... For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall adhere to his wife and they shall be one flesh. This is a great sacrament: but I speak in Christ and in the Church.”

In these words the Apostle declares that the union of Christ with His Church is the type or model of the bond subsisting between man and wife. Now the union between Christ and His Church is supernatural and sealed by Divine grace. Hence, also, is the fellowship of a Christian husband and wife cemented by the grace of God. - Cardinal Gibbons

When Spouses Speak The Truth With Their Bodies

http://catholicparents.org/oxcart/spousesspeaktruth.html

Marriage: More Than Just Two People Living Together

The Church teaches us that marriage is more than just two people living together who share common likes or because of convenience. It is a sacramental covenant that bonds two people together in an indissoluble union by which the couple makes God present in their marriage. It is the only sacrament that is not administered by a priest. The priest is present at the wedding to witness the validity ofthe marriage. But the sacrament itself is administered by the husband and wife to each other. The sacrament begins at the moment they commit themselves in marriage with the exchange of vows to freely, faithfully and fruitfully love each other. But the sacrament is perfected when they consummate the marriage in the marital embrace. It is in the sexual union that the couple makes manifest the sacrament and shares in the divine grace that God wishes to give them as man and wife. The vows said with their mouths at the altar are perfected and renewed through their bodies each and every time in the conjugal act. - Kenneth Henderson

There Is Nothing More Nauseating Than A Fickle, Frivolous, Haughty Woman

‎There is nothing more nauseating than a woman, especially if she is married, who is fickle, frivolous and haughty. The Christian wife must be woman of sound piety towards God, an angel of peace in the family, dignified and pleasant towards others. - Saint Padre Pio

The Founders spoke of rights being endowed by the Creator. The government does not grant us rights. It acknowledges them. A government that sees itself as the giver of rights is an arrogant and deluded government. Likewise, the government has no authority to supersede the moral law. It is not in the power of government to redefine marriage. Perhaps, though I'd oppose it, it could claim to have the power of establishing an alternative form of "civil union", but that is wholly different from marriage. Since it disrupts society's understanding of marriage by introducing a false alternative, it is not in for the good of society, and should on those grounds be opposed though government might have the power to establish it. - Anthony Summers

Law that is not in accordance with the moral law is stripped of authoritative power, but is simply enforced by brute force. Nothing in it binds conscience. Therefore, government must not abandon its ground in objective moral law. However, it does not need to enforce the entirety of the moral law. Only those that are most directly and clearly bring necessary stability to a society. Marriage is paramount. - Anthony Summers

God has assigned as a duty to every man the dignity of every woman. - Blessed Pope John Paul II

The Call To Martydom Of Witness Is Ever More Urgent

Given the breakdown in family life, the wholesale attack on innocent and defenseless human lives, and the violation of the integrity of the union of marriage in our society, the call to the martyrdom of witness is ever more urgent. - Cardinal Burke

Are You Aware That God Did Not Leave us on Our Own But He Gave us His One Church With His Own Teaching Authority to Guide us in Truth

Are you aware that you are so loved that God himself took on our human nature to become one of us in everything except sin and showed us the way to himself through God the Son Jesus Christ? (We are loved by God who through his Son died for ...our sin, rose from the dead to give us everlasting life: John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:9-10; Galatians 2:20. Jesus is True God and True man: John 1:1, 10:38, 12:45, 20:28; Colossians 2-9; Philippianss2:5-11). Your sin is but a drop in the ocean of God's love and mercy. No sin is too great for our God to forgive. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

Are you aware that God did not leave us on our own but he gave us his one Church with his own teaching authority to guide us in truth. Yes, a Church that would never fall to the powers of hell that Jesus himself built upon Peter the rock and the first pope which would have successors to lead it? "You are Peter the rock (kepha in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke) and upon this rock (kepha) I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18-19, 18:17-18; Luke 10:16; John 16:12; Ephesians 2:20; Acts 1:20, 1:25-26; 1 Timothy 3:1-8, 5:17, 4:14).

Are you aware that the Church (the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church) is the Pillar and Foundation of the Truth (1 Timothy 3:15)? If the Church is the pillar and foundation of Truth does that sound like all that you need is the Bible alone? No, what about the Traditions we are to keep a tight hold onto along with Scripture (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Also, can the one Church of Jesus be split into 28,000 competing denominations? No, because there is "One Lord, One faith, One baptism, One God & Father of us all" Ephesians 4:3-6; 1 Corinthians 1:10. Jesus Prayed that we may be ONE (John 17:17-23).

Why choose the Catholic church? Because it is the only historical Christian church that has been around for almost 2000 years and can trace itself back to the apostles. In fact, the early first, second, third century Christians were Catholic and held to Catholic beliefs such as the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Today's pope Benedict XVI can trace himself in an unbroken line of succession to St. Peter the apostle and 1st pope himself! Orthodox Christians broke away from the Catholic church in the year 1054. The first Protestant church broke away from the Catholic Church in the year 1517 with Martin Luther (a Catholic monk) who started the Lutheran Church. The split has continued till this day with 28,000 plus denominations. I myself shall remain in the church that Jesus Christ founded, the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church established in the year 33 A.D.

Are you aware that Jesus gave his Church 7 Sacraments (visible signs of invisible grace) which are unending rivers of God's grace which nourish us on our Journey in this world to God?

--Baptism is where one is born again of water and Spirit, receives Justifying grace (made right before God) & Sanctifying grace (empowered by God to do good and grow in a holy life devoted to him). We become adopted children of God, members of his Church and have original (the sin we inherit from our parents Adam and Eve) & personal sins washed clean from our souls by the free gift of God's grace. John 3:5; Romans 5:18-19; Colossians 2:11-12; Titus 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Romans 6:4; 1 Peter 3:21.

--Confirmation is where you become a mature member of the Church and accept the faith personally. You also receive a deeper outpouring of the Holy Spirit and of the seven gifts which you received at Baptism. The seven gifts are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. You are empowered to share your faith with all and you are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Acts 19:5-6, 8:14-17; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13; Hebrews 6:2.

--Confession is where Jesus gives us the sacrament of Reconciliation to forgive us our sins committed after Baptism. Yes, Jesus wants us to receive his forgiveness and grace to stay away from sin through his priest in Confession. Jesus empowered his apostles to forgive sins in his name, "Jesus breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven" (John 20:21-22). The priest forgives us in the Person of Christ or Persona Christi (2 Corinthians 2:10). This is why the Church says we need to confess our sins to a priest because Jesus has given his priest the power to forgive in his name.

--Holy Eucharist is where by the power of the Holy Spirit bread and wine are substantially changed into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our risen Lord Jesus Christ. Bread and wine no longer remain after the words of consecration at Holy Mass, only Jesus remains totally and equally present under both forms of the consecrated bread and wine. Here our Lord makes us one with himself and each other who shares in this Holy Communion. The simple act of receiving is to say, "yes Lord I believe it is you that I am receiving and believe all that your Catholic Church believes. Here our Lord nourishes us with his own Body and Blood and gives us the grace to follow him day in and day out. Here our Lord waits for us in the Tabernacle to spend time with him in adoration.

Yes, Jesus commanded us to "Eat his Body and to Drink his Blood" John 6:35-71). Yes, Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26). As with the Apostles the Church continues to celebrate this at Holy Mass. Here the once and for all sacrifice of Christ at Calvary is made present for us to encounter and unite ourselves with Jesus' perfect sacrifice to the Father through the Holy Spirit. But before we receive one should examine themselves to make sure they are in the State of Grace or God's friendship not guilty of mortal sin or sins that lead to death (James 1:14-15; 1 John 5:16-17)

If you are not sure you should then first go to confession (1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-29). Why would you want to put the Lord into a sinful body? Confess your sins first and then come to the Lords table. In Exodus 12:8, 46 "the Paschal lamb had to be eaten. In John 1:29 "Jesus is called the Lamb of God" so we too must eat as Jesus has commanded us.

--Anointing of the sick is where we are given the grace of healing. (Mark 6:12-13 and John 5:14).

--Holy Orders is where those who are called are ordained to a special ministry of the ordained priesthood of Christ. Yes, we are all part of a royal priesthood by virtue of our baptism, but some are called to a special order of the ordained priesthood. (1 Peter 2:9-10; Acts 20:28; Luke 22:19; John 20:22; Acts 6:6, 13:3, 14:22; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6; Titus 1:5).

--Matrimony is where Jesus takes two, a man and woman and joins them together in one flesh in the eyes of God. (Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:7-12, Ephesians 5:22-32; 1 Thess 4:4).

Yes our Lord and God Jesus Christ has blessed us with all this and more.

Are you aware that Catholics do not worship Mary and the Saints? We honor them and respect them. We ask them to pray for us to Jesus like you would ask someone here to pray for you. They are not dead but are alive with God for God is the Go...d of the living not of the dead and all are alive with him (Mark 12:26-27, 9:4). They are those who died in God's friendship and are now with him in Heaven. Death cannot separate those in Christ (Romans 8:35-39) and we are all part of the one body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:21-23; Colossians 1:18, 24; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Romans 12:5). We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1).

We are to offer prayer, petitions for all (1 Timothy 2:1-7) through Jesus our One mediator. We are to love one another with mutual affection, this does not stop at death for those who are in heaven fulfill this in ways we cannot imagine. Our statues and images are not grave idols because one would have to worship the statue or image which we Catholics do not do. They are mere reminders of those who have gone before us in Christ. They are like a family picture of a deceased loved one, do you worship your loved ones? Nor do we worship our statues! God even commanded images to be made (Exodus 20:4-5; Numbers 21:8-9; 1 Kings 6:23-29, 7:25-45).

Are you aware what the Catholic Church really teaches in these and other matters? Do you think you can just write off the church as nothing of importance in your life. Think again because God does exist and he came to us in the person of Jesus to show us the "The Way, The Truth and The life. No one can come to the Father except by Jesus." (John 14:6).

He established one Church to guide us and teach us his ways. His Church is like a mother to us. You may not even have God in your life, I would like to invite you into a relationship with him that can and will be nourished by him through his Church. You may be a Catholic who is not practicing their faith, may I urge you to start by learning your faith, loving your faith and living your faith. Don't believe that this doesn't matter to you because it does and will have eternal effects depending the way you chose. Jesus said that "if you deny me then I will deny you", will you deny him?

You may already be a Christian of another denomination. May I encourage you to investigate the Catholic church yourself to see what it really believes, you may be surprised what you find out. Go to the source or as they say "the horses mouth" to learn the facts of these truths. Yes we have more in common than you may think. But the Fullness of the Truth is in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church whom Jesus Himself founded and protects throughout all time. Don't you think it is time to encounter the whole truth today?

The Origin of Marriage is in God

Marriage, with its character as an exclusive and permanent union, is sacred because its origin is in God. Christians, in receiving the sacrament of marriage, share in God's creative plan and receive the graces they need to carry out their mission of raising and educating their children...to respond to the call to holiness. - Pope John Paul II

Prerequisite to a Happy Marriage: a Joyful Single Life

‎Before we can be happily married, we need to learn the art of being happily single.

The Best Proof of Genuine Love: Sanctification

You husbands and fathers say you love your wives and children. OK, I am going to take you seriously. Now if you love them really (that is, for their genuine welfare and not simply for what you can get from them, or whether they do or do not return your love as you would like it to be returned) - I repeat, if you love them really, then prove it in the best way possible: become a saint, get rid of your faults, love totally. The best proof of genuine love is found in the example of an exemplary life: a tremendous spur to their eternal enthrallment, and yours as well. - Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M.