Good morning. Marriage is not a private matter, but rather it is a public matter. This is why marriage takes place in a church and before a faith community. In the sacrament of marriage, the love God has for each of us is present to the couple and that love is witnessed to those about them. We are reminded in today’s
Gospel that matters of our faith are not to be hidden away, but we are to give witness to that faith. "No one lights a candle and hides it under a vessel.” We are reminded that in marriage our love for one another is not something which we limit just to ourselves but that our love for each other should be lived out as witness for others to see and should be poured out for others to experience. As Pope Paul VI in
Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life) noted regarding the marriage of a man and woman, “they are strengthened and, one might almost say, consecrated to the faithful fulfillment of their duties. Thus will they realize to the full their calling and bear witness as becomes them, to Christ before the world.” Often in the marriage ceremony the bride and groom will light a candle to symbolize their love and to symbolize that they are no longer two but one. If you have ever had the experience of needing to light a candle as a result of losing electrical power you can appreciate the warming glow given off by a candle. A candle dispels the darkness of the world about us, and so we are called in marriage to allow the love of our marital relationship to likewise dispel the darkness of the world we live in. How will our marriage light the way for others today? Make a great day!
Today we recall the good life, gifts, and works of
Saint Emily de Rodat.
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