Feast of Blessed Eugenia Ravasco

Good morning. Today is the Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas.  As I awoke this morning, it began to appear to me that the day had potential for being one of those days where everything seems uncertain; I just couldn’t seem to arrive at any real clear decisions. One thing that jumped out at me rather quickly was who to decide upon as the Saint for the Day; there wasn’t anyone among the optional choices for the day that firmly stood above the rest. Decisions…decisions. Making decisions where it only involves me is one thing, but where it involves others it can get to be a challenge. Those of us who are married can truly appreciate what I am referring to here.  Although it is usually the case that most decision making that couples encounter in their relationship tend to be a tad weightier than who to select as the Saint of the Day, seldom either is it the case that it is a make or break decision situation.  How we go about arriving at making decisions in marriage can be a mighty tricky thing, and it often varies depending upon the gravity of the matter up for decision.  Reaching agreement on some matters, however, can be a difficult process.  As I think about this issue of decision making among married couples,  it occurs to me that one area where this could particularly be tricky or even worse seldom even gets tested is in the area of a couple’s relationship with God.  It has been my observation that arriving at decisions whether to play Rummy or Scrabble ® is seldom as monumental for most couples as compared to divulging matters as intimate and personable as our relationship with God.  In fact, it has been my observation in working with couples that discussions surrounding our relationship with God can often be more intimate than sex.  Why is this?  I think to a large degree it has to do with a tendency for many of us to confine our discussion or public interaction with God to that of our church activities and we tend to stay clear of any public engagement with God once we’ve left the church.  Unlike the elderly woman, Anna, from the morning Gospel reading from Luke (Lk 2:36-40) who spoke freely to anyone who would listen of the Christ Child, for most of us, our comfort zone regarding our relationship with God seldom goes beyond the doors of the church.  As I already mentioned, openness in matters involving God can be quite intimate and revealing, but what better way to strengthen one’s marriage than to make an intentional decision to pray together or to read scripture together; it will likely go a long way in making those everyday decisions conflict free.  Make a great day!

So, who did I decide to go with for Saint of the Day? Today we recall the good life and works of Blessed Eugenia Ravasco, whose canonization is pending.