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Our Marriage… a Spiritual Journey: Covenantal Love, Sacramental Sign PART 1 of 4

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Our Marriage… a Spiritual Journey: Covenantal Love, Sacramental Sign PART 1 of 4 The Christian Family Movement Our Marriage… A Spiritual Journey: Covenantal Love, Sacramental sign PART 1 OF 4 About this series: Note to Group Leaders and Members Our Marriage… A Spiritual In addition to the online printouts of these four chapters, each member in the Journey is a four-meeting group will need a small, bound notebook. During the meetings and in prepa- miniseries which focuses on ration for the meetings, entries will be made in them. The notebooks should the spiritual journey of the be brought to each of the four meetings. couple from making vows and understanding the con- A week before each of the scheduled meetings, each member is asked to take cept of covenant, to couple a look at the Observe section for the upcoming meeting and record in their notebooks the observations requested. ATTENTION: The first notebook re- spirituality, to extending flection should be completed before any of the scheduled meetings take your spirituality to your place. children, to sharing the love you have to others outside For part of each meeting, the group will break into couples, allowing time the immediate family. and space to share and discuss privately. It would be helpful to hold meetings in a place where this is possible. Our programs are written by cfm Opening Prayer volunteers from around the coun- O God, you have promised to care for your people and never abandon us. try. Do you have a We ask your blessing on each couple gathered here. You have joined these talent for writing spouses in the covenant of holy marriage. May husband and wife learn from or editing that you your loving faithfulness and so grow together in harmony with sympathy, would like to share with CFM? Contact compassion, humility, honesty, respect and unfailing love. [email protected] We pray for all married people and all those contemplating marriage that the promises they make will lead to a joyful life and witness to your love. Jesus, we trust in you. Amen. Scripture Reflection The Christian "I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall Family Movement: come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your off- spring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be Over 60 years of God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your off- strengthening mar- spring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a riages and families perpetual holding; and I will be their God." Providing family relevant program God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your off- materials spring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall Helping our mem- bers to put their be circumcised." faith into action —Genesis 17:6-10 Page 2 PART 1 OF 4 Our Method: Scripture Reflection (continued) Observe-Judge-Act And I will take you for my wife forever; I will take you for my wife in righteousness and in jus-tice, in steadfast love, and in mercy. I will take you for my wife in faithfulness; and Observe you shall know the Lord. —Hosea 2:19-20 “Get the facts.” At this stage of the meeting, At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be members should refrain my people. from expressing their Thus says the Lord: opinions about facts. Try The people who survived the sword to simply report, like any found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, good objective newspaper the Lord appeared to him from far away. reporter. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. —Jeremiah 31:1-3 Judge 1. What are the characteristics of God’s covenantal love? For CFMers, to judge is not 2. How are these characteristics reflected in Christian marriage? to find another person sinful or holy; it is rather to Social Inquiry compare how things are with how things should be, In the Bible, God makes a covenant, a sol- union. The Catholic Church teaches that mar- in accord with Gospel val- emn promise of partnership, with the people riage is also a sacrament, a visible sign of God's ues. This comparison re- of Israel. Christians recognize that this cove- presence and activity in the world. In Catholic quires objective observa- nant is reflected in the permanent and loving tradition, the mutual self-giving of the couple tion of how things are as is a mirror of Christ's love for the church. At relationship between a man and a woman in well as a sincere effort to marriage. In the alliance God made with them, the same time, Christ's love for the church is a model for the loving relationship that should determine the teachings of Israel was the weaker partner, continually Jesus. wandering away and pursuing false gods. They exist between husband and wife. In sacramental marriage, the couple's rela- got distracted from their relationship with God and focused on comfort or power or wealth. tionship has a mystical dimension, signifying They built and lost whole kingdoms in the the union of Christ and the church. It is a voca- tion entered into freely and honestly by both Act course of their journey of faith. God continual- ly brought Israel back to himself, forgiving and parties. Sacramental marriage gives spouses If the group judges teaching the people how to keep their part of the grace to love each other with the love with the covenant. which Christ loves his church. The grace of the through prayer, reflection, Every marriage is a legal contract, but Chris- sacrament thus perfects the human love of the and observation that tian marriage goes far beyond that. It is a cove- spouses, strengthens their indissoluble unity, things are not as they nant for life-long, exclusive, fruitful love be- and sanctifies them on the way to eternal life should be, then ways to tween a man and a woman. In business, a con- (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1661). bring about a change will tract articulates what goods are to be ex- Sacramental marriage has three essential come forth from the characteristics: It is life-long, it is faithful and it changed and engages the services of people group. Actions listed here for a spec-ified time period. The marital cove- is open to children. As a sacrament, marriage reflects the Paschal Mystery, taking its inner are suggestions. The best nant is a sacred promise between God and a actions come from the man and a woman, who freely consent to the meaning from the life, death and resurrection group. agreement until the death of one of the spous- of Jesus. Like Jesus, the spouses in sacramental es. marriage "die" to self and "rise" to selfless ser- Most Christians revere marriage as a sacred vice to one another, their children, their ex- tended family, and beyond the doors of their Page 3 PART 1 OF 4 Our Method: Social Inquiry (cont.) Observe-Judge-Act home into society. value. "Follow the Way of Love," the U.S. Bish- The covenant of Christian marriage touches ops' pastoral letter to families (1994), calls cou- Observe the very mystery of the couple and the love ples to honor the different gifts and abilities that motivates them. It joins them in a unique each brings to the marriage. "True equality, “Get the facts.” At this type of life-long compact that reflects God's understood as mutuality, is not measuring out stage of the meeting, love for his chosen people and Christ's sacrifi- tasks (who prepares the meals, who supervises cial love for his Bride, the church. Once en- homework, and so forth) or maintaining an members should refrain tered into with full awareness and proper dis- orderly schedule. It thrives at a much deeper from expressing their position, this nuptial covenant cannot be dis- level where the power of the Spirit resides. opinions about facts. Try solved. This disturbs many people in contem- Here, the grace of the vowed life not only to simply report, like any porary society, who live in a culture of imper- makes the shedding of willfulness possible, but good objective newspaper manence. also leads to a joyful willingness." reporter. Today's Christian husbands and wives are called into a partnership of equal dignity and Judge Observe (Notebook Reflection) Before the meeting, write answers to the following questions in your notebook. Report For CFMers, to judge is not on those that you are comfortable sharing. to find another person sinful or holy; it is rather to Ask two other couples and yourselves the following questions and note responses in compare how things are your notebook: with how things should be, in accord with Gospel val- 1. How does a marital covenant differ from a simple promise between two people? Bring an ues. This comparison re- example of a contract to the meeting. Compare the contract's features with the concept of quires objective observa- covenant described above. tion of how things are as 2. What married couple has inspired you? Identify some characteristics of their marriage. well as a sincere effort to 3. Ask two people: What hampers married couples from being a convincing sign of God's love determine the teachings of today? Jesus.
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