Marriage III

One of the hardest things in a marriage is when one spouse decides to practice the faith while the other spouse is more lukewarm. The spiritual component is important for a marriage, and when one spouse is infrequent in the practice of the faith, it might cause tension with the other spouse as well as with the children. But, if you find yourself with someone who does not attend Mass with you, or attends Mass only infrequently, bring them to prayer.

No one has a conversion experience because they were hit over the head or the recipient of anger. If you truly want your spouse to pray with you and attend Mass with you, and you want your kids to experience the joy of our Catholic faith, bring joy into your discussion with your spouse.

Think about it, if you are constantly arguing and yelling and criticizing your spouse for not going to Mass, and you leave the house with the children in a fit of anger, are you truly modeling Christian behavior? How are they going to associate the attendance of Mass? A child would much rather be with the parent who takes them our to eat on a Sunday morning or go to a football game than the one who forces them to go to Mass while angry.

Prayer, fasting and the daily rosary are a good way to ask Heaven for help in opening up your spouse's heart to the joys of our Catholic faith and the joy of receiving our Lord in the Holy Eucharist on a weekly, if not daily, basis.

Confession

The Sacrament of Confession seems to have fallen by the wayside these days. It's unfortunate, though, because this sacrament has so much to offer you. Imagine if you never cleaned your home or your car, how quickly the dirt piles up. Then, imagine if you never bathed or showered or kept yourself groomed. How quickly, the sweat and dirt and unkempt hair would become unmanageable. It's the same with our soul. We need to keep our soul clean on a periodic schedule so that the effects of our sins do not stain our soul. Maybe you have had a terrible experience in the confessional or you do not see any value in it. Maybe you are convinced that you are a good person and not in need of confession. Confession is a way for you to check on your growth in the spiritual life and how well you are doing in living the virtues of our faith. Frequent confession can be a help in ending habitual sins, if you seek to put in place other spiritual aids to complement a good confession. Prayer, works of charity, almsgiving and the attentive participation at Mass with a good Holy Communion are all ways to help you, along with confession, to receive God's grace and love and strength to keep yourself away from even the most venial of sins. A daily examination of conscience can be helpful as well. Fr John Hardon, SJ, has a helpful examination at www.therealpresence.org and Scott Hahn's book, Lord, Have Mercy, also has some good daily examinations. Seek the Lord and he will free you from the chains of sin.