Marriage is beautiful

Today, the Couples for Christ (CFC) Mission Core of Metro Manila end their traditional weekend recollection in Baguio, the City of Pines. This year, the Recollection revolved around the Wedding at Cana verses in the gospel of John, from where CFC’s theme for 2013 is taken — “Do whatever He tells you.”  (John 2:5).

The ambience of Baguio, particularly its cool and nippy weather, always lends itself to self-reflection and fellowship, important ingredients in a recollection. Baguio is also a romantic place, a favorite honeymoon destination. Of course, many long for the “good old days” when Baguio was even more beautiful, when the refreshing scent of pine trees pervaded over most of the mountain city, when walking up and down a less polluted Session Road was a pleasure by itself and another highlight of the trip.     

Baguio is indeed a special city where love between husband and wife can be nurtured, strengthened, and celebrated. Baguio is part of many love stories, and for some, even where love stories began.

One good way to help nurture a marriage relationship through the years is to recall your own love story. However it all began, whether as an ordinary chance encounter, or as a soapy romantic date with sparkling wine and violin strings wafting through the air, every love story is the Lord’s way of putting a couple together. And as such, every love story is beautiful, for it is God’s way of making the path of a future husband and wife meet, to be God’s gift to each other, and to play a role in His wonderful plan.

So for married couples, especially on this month of love, recall your story. Go over your courtship and wedding pictures. Laugh at your corny lines. Feel your heartbeat. Feel God’s love.

Of course, from experience, we know that the marriage journey is never always smooth, and the road not all-weather. There are humps and bumps, potholes, downright rough and rocky portions. There are highs and lows in the journey, dangerous ravines, and even night and fog that prevent us from seeing much of the road ahead. There may be air turbulence or ocean swells from time to time. But if we submit to God’s plan, we are assured that He will hold us in the palm of His hands.

Do not be afraid to recall the tough moments in your marriage, too, for it is through such remembering that we realize even more how God loves us and allows us to overcome, by His love and mercy. It is precisely during our low moments that we experience the Lord’s strength the most.

With God’s loving presence in our marriage, we continue to move forward in our journey together. “Two for the road, we travel down the years, collecting precious memories” says the song. The problems will come, be it financial, or serious ailment, disagreements, irritations, parenting challenges, boredom, etc. But hold on, persevere, and still rejoice in all occasions, for as the song continues, “as long as love still wears a smile, I know that we’ll be two for the road, and that’s a long, long time.”  

On this Valentine month, let us take time to thank and honor each other as spouses, for being able to hold on through the storms together, for not giving up on each other, for not giving up on God. Let us also thank and honor our children, for the joy and inspiration they bring us, for the convergence point they are of our love.

These are dangerous times for marriage and family life. Many factors are operating to destroy this institution that is the bedrock of society. In our country, the onslaught is gathering speed.  We should not be deluded. Destroying the institution of marriage and family will not solve the problem. If at all, this will spawn more problems, especially for our children and the next generations.

Destroying the family is the surefire way of destroying the country and the family. Let us think about that, and think hard. We should not unwittingly fall into the trap being set up by those who would love our company in their misery.

Of course, there are real problem situations. We should not also be blind to these either. But we should treat these as exceptions, and not make them the norm. Besides, there are available adequate solutions that can be used for exceptional instances. 

There is one important thing that we all should remember — that families should not be indifferent in the face of this danger. We should don the full armor of God and take the frontline in defending our marriage and family values, defending the gift of life, strengthening family. We need to stand our ground as comrades, spouses bound by a special sacrament, and alongside the entire army of families for families, pursue our common values together, even through political participation if necessary.

Blessed John Paul II, during his pontificate, wrote:

“ The social role of families is called upon to find expression also in the form of political intervention: Families should be the first to take steps to see that the laws and institutions of the state not only do not offend, but support and positively defend the rights and duties of the family. Along these lines,  families should grow in the awareness of being ‘protagonists’ of what is known as ‘family politics’ and assume responsibility for transforming society; otherwise, families will be the first victims of the evils that they have done no more than note with indifference.”

As a married couple, we have a special empowerment, not only for our life together, but also for the mission to preserve marriage and family. Let us recognize such empowerment, pray for it, receive it, and move forward in love with it.

Advanced Happy Valentine’s Day to all!