The family that prays together - Stays together.....That is not just a “catchy phrase” - Its the Truth

Today the Universal Church commemorates the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph…..The family is the smallest cell of every society….And in America, the family is clearly under attack. More than half of American marriages end in divorce, which produces disorder across our society….What is driving this problem?…..Marriage was established by God and marriage is a Sacrament….Why is it a Sacrament?…The answer - To lived married life and meet the demands of self-sacrifical love, which is required by both the man and the woman is difficult….This is why God instituted marriage to be a Sacrament and this is the greatest mistake of our society - God is not the center of our marriages….And when God is not the center of a marriage, selfishness is not far behind, which ultimately erodes a marriage……Sacramental grace elevates human nature….And this grace is essential for a marriage to thrive…..What we see today in our children is a bi-product of Godless marriages….Children lost, wounded and broken - To see this one does not have to look far…The answer to all we see - A God centered marriage - Why? - Because God centered marriages work!…….The family that prays together stays together - But it’s not just about “staying together” - Its about thriving!….Do we know what marriage is all about?…How do we define what love is?….There is the key question - Love is self-sacrifical…And God’s grace helps us to live this way….To view love or marriage any other way is a dangerous proposition….But don’t take my words for it - Look at the statistics - In fact - Just look out your front door….Many people talk about “fixing America” - Well, that “fix begins and ends” with God and family…..God strengthens family life and strong families produce a strong nation - There is the answer to many of America problems in a “nut-shell”……Invite God into your marriage and watch how it is transformed.

“Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.”

How does one invite God into their marriage?…Let’s start slow….How about going to Mass together for starters?…..And every night pray one decade of the Rosary together….Putting into practice what I just suggested takes such a small amount of time and in doing this, we allow God to work!…In time, eyes will open and grace will build upon grace…..How much time do we invest in going to the gym, wasting time scrolling on social media, or time spent watching the television?….Going to Mass takes one hour per week and praying one decade of the Rosary with your spouse takes five minutes per day….God is not an ogre, he will not “throw you in the deep end of the pool” if you take me up on this offer…Start off slow and allow God to work - And then YOU will see…Marriage is a Sacrament and when Americans start treating it as such is when America will be transformed and not before….How can a nation vote properly when it does not even know how many genders there are - Let’s be honest…..When our families are healthy our nation will follow - “Voting harder” will not cut it!

“God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. Whoever honors his father atones for sins, and preserves himself from them. When he prays, he is heard; he stores up riches who reveres his mother. Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children, and, when he prays, is heard. Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother”

The Universal Church today honors the Holy Family for a reason….Because family life is vital - Everyone comes from a family, whether you are a surgeon or you sweep the streets and healthy families usually produce healthy people….Is this happening today? - Let’s be honest….Solutions to problems do not “fall from the sky” and like everything else, having a strong marriage takes work….This all begins with inviting God into our marriages…..Love gives it does not take and if we want to love sacrificially, we need God’s grace…For those who have ears - Let them hear…..Marriage is a Sacrament for a reason……Love is not a word - Its an action and authentic love gives all and in turn humanity thrives…We can’t “vote” our problems away - Most of our problems can be solved around the kitchen table….Everything begins and ends with the family and fighting for your family begins with an invitation to God - Allow him in the “front door”….The family that prays together - Stays together.....That is not a just a “catchy phrase” - Its the Truth…………….JMJ