Feast of Saint Ailbe

Good morning. Make no mistake about it, marriage is a difficult and challenging journey, a journey which requires faith—the faith we hear about in today’s Gospel. The faith of the centurion who says to Jesus, “just say the word and my servant will be healed” is the type of faith needed to endure the challenging occasions we encounter throughout our marriage. For it is our faith which will help us through the tough times, that is why it is important to constantly remind ourselves that marriage is about something greater than just ourselves. That can be difficult to appreciate sometimes; it can be difficult to appreciate the sacredness of marriage when looked at against the image we usually see in popular entertainment. Marriage is a partnership with Christ at the center and just as Catholics we remind ourselves that Christ is at the center of our lives by the simple act of signing ourselves with the cross, so too as married couples we need to remind ourselves that our marriage has a higher purpose. Blessed Pope John Paul II, in Familiaris Consortio, reminds us of God's presence in our lives: “In and through the events, problems, difficulties and circumstances of everyday life, God comes to them, revealing and presenting the concrete "demands" of their sharing in the love of Christ.” As married couples, like the centurion in today’s Gospel, we need to call upon Christ in those challenging moments with complete faith that He will be there with us to see us through. Lord, just say the word and we shall be healed. Make a great day!

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and works of Saint Ailbe.