CatholicFamilyToday

As a Marriage and Family Therapist I celebrate the chance to help married couples come to a better understanding of the Sacrament of Marriage. Sadly we have lost a sense of marriage as it was intended by God in the beginning. This blog is about marriage as it applies to scripture and the lives of the saints. As a Marriage Counselor I invite you to walk with me on a journey within the rich anthropology of our faith. The sacredness of Marriage is what this blog, and my work is all about.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Feast of Saint Hyacintha of Mariscotti

Good morning. I’m guessing that most people when reading the tale from this morning’s Gospel tend to focus in on the mad man possessed by demons. Yet the story is really about the mercy Jesus extends to the man, the same mercy He extends to all of us. He likewise asks that we in turn extend the same mercy to each other. The Gospel for today as well as the life of Saint Hyacintha, whose life we commemorate today, offer each one of us hope in God’s mercy and a reminder that we are likewise called to be merciful with each other.

The goal of a virtuous life is to become like Christ. So too, in marriage we are called to be Christ-like in our life together. Pope Benedict XVI in an address on the occasion of the Fifth World Meeting of Families notes that Christ shows us the way to be loving and to be merciful, “for the Lord makes it possible for us, through our human love, to be sensitive, loving and merciful like Christ.” May we be loving and merciful in all that we do today. Make a great day!

Today we recall the good life, gifts, and work of Saint Hyacintha of Mariscotti.

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BOOK OF THE MONTH

Awhile back I was out splitting wood when someone in passing introduced himself. Knowing me to be the parent of three of our four children whom the passerby knows he took the time to compliment me on what nice children Linda and I have. I suggested that most of the credit truly belongs to their mother and he responded that I likely had a play in it in some way and that whatever we did it should perhaps be put into a book. I thanked him and he went on his way and I resumed splitting wood with increased energy as a result of his kind words. This kind man is possibly correct about putting into a book whatever wisdom I might have to offer, but short of my ever getting any such wisdom published I might suggest reading the work of Peter Kreeft Before I Go: Letters to Our Children About What Really Matters. This delightful collection of instructional and at times humorous reflections by the author would likely reflect the type of things I would be inclined to put into words myself for my own children. Among many enlightening points the author makes, one which really needs to influence all that we as parents do is his point that the greatest gift which we give to our children is the gift of faith—their awareness of God. He likewise makes another critical point that when we are gone, “when the parent is dead, it’s too late to share the most precious things he knows.” This book should be part of every Christian family’s collection.