CHRIST IN THE HOME
http://www.ewtn.com/library/FAMILY/CHRISTH1.TXT
BY RAOUL PLUS, S.J.
a Translation from the French
FREDERICK PUSTET CO., INC. Publishers NEW YORK AND
CINCINNATI
Nihil Obstat:
JOHN M. A. FEARNS, S.T.D., Censor Librorum
Imprimatur:
+FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN,
Archbishop of New York
New York, June 19, 1951
MARRIAGE
LOVING EACH OTHER IN GOD
WE HAVE already seen that it is essential to advance as quickly as
possible from a purely natural love to a supernatural love, from a
passionate love to a virtuous love.
That is clear. No matter how perfect the partners in marriage may be,
each has limitations; we can foresee immediately that at the point
where the limitations of the one contact the limitations of the
other, sparks will easily fly; misunderstandings, oppositions, and
disagreements will arise.
No matter how much effort one puts forth to manifest only virtues,
one does not have only virtues. And when one lives in constant
contact with another, his faults appear quickly; "No man is great to
his valet," says the proverb. Sometimes it is the very virtue of an
individual which seems to annoy another. One would have liked more
discretion; one is, as it were, eclipsed. Two find their self-love
irritated, in conflict.
Or perhaps virtues no longer appear as virtues by reason of being so
constantly manifested. Others become accustomed to seeing them and
look upon them as merely natural traits. "There is nothing more than
that missing for him or her to be different." It is like the sun or
the light; people no longer notice them. Bread by reason of its being
daily bread loses its character of "good bread."
Daily intercourse which was a joy in the beginning no longer seems
such a special delight; it becomes monotonous. Husband and wife
remain together by habit, common interests, honor, even a certain
attachment of will, but do they continue to be bound together by love
in the deepest sense of the word?
If things go on in this way, they will soon cease to be much
concerned about each other; they may preserve a mutual dry esteem
which habit will render still drier. Where formerly there existed a
mutual ardor, nothing more remains than proper form; where formerly
there was never anything more than a delicate remonstrance, there now
exists depressing wrangling or a still more depressing coldness.
Married persons must come to the help of weak human nature and try to
understand what supernatural love is in order to infuse it into their
lives as soon as possible.
Is not the doctrine of the Church on marriage too often forgotten?
How many ever reread the epistle of the Nuptial Mass? Meditate on it?
In any case, how many husbands and wives read it together? Meditate
on it together? That would forearm them against the invasion of
worrisome misunderstandings. Why not have recourse to the well-
springs of wisdom?
There are not only the epistles. There is the whole gospel. The
example of Joseph and Mary at Nazareth is enlightening. What
obedience and cordial simplicity in Mary! What deference and
exquisite charity in Saint Joseph! And between the two what openness
of heart, what elevated dealings! Jesus was the bond between Mary,
the Mother, and Joseph, the foster-father.
In Christian marriage, Jesus is still the unbreakable bond-- prayer
together, Holy Mass and Holy Communion together.
Not only should there be prayer with each other, beside each other,
but prayer for each other.
SUPERNATURAL LOVE
SOME persons imagine that the endeavor to transform their natural
love into supernatural love will make them awkward, make them lose
their spontaneity, their naturalness.
Indeed, nothing is farther from the truth, if supernatural love is
rightly understood.
What does it really require?
First of all, does it not require us to fulfill the perfections of
natural love? Supernatural love, far from suppressing natural love,
makes it more tender, more attentive, more generous; it intensifies
the sentiments of affection, esteem, admiration, gratitude, respect,
and devotion which constitute the essence of true love.
Supernatural love takes away one thing only from natural and
spontaneous love--selfishness, the arch-enemy of love. It demands
that everything, from the greatest obligation to the simplest, be
done as perfectly as possible. Then by elevating simple human love to
the level of true charity, it ennobles the greatest powers of that
love. It suppresses nothing. It enriches everything. Better still, it
provides in advance against the danger of a diminution in human love.
It pardons weaknesses, deficiencies, faults. Not that it is blind to
them, but it does not become agitated by them. It bears with them,
handles them tactfully, helps to overcome them. It is capable of
bestowing love where all is not lovable. Penetrating beyond the
exterior, it can peer into the soul and see the image of God behind a
silhouette which has become less pleasing.
That is the whole secret. Supernatural love in us seeks to love in
the manner and according to the desire of God; it requires us
therefore to love God in those we love and then to love the good
qualities He has given them and bear with the absence of those He has
not given or with the characteristics He has permitted them to acquire.
Loving without any advertence to self, supernatural love is patient
and constant in spite of the faults of those it loves. The Little
Sister of the Poor loves her old folk despite their coughing, their
unpleasant mannerisms, their varying moods. The Missionaries who care
for the lepers love them in spite of their loathsome sores.
Unselfish as it is, supernatural love inspires the one who is
animated by it to seek the temporal and above all the spiritual good
of the one he loves before his own. Delicately it calls the attention
of the loved one to his faults, not to reproach him, but to help him
correct them. It does not give in to irritability or moodiness; it is
quick humbly to beg pardon and to make reparation, should it ever
fail. And when there has been a little outburst, how comforting it
is, in the intimate converse of the evening, to acknowledge one's
failings, to express sorrow, and to promise to do better in the
future with the other's help!
But all this presupposes prayer and a true desire for union with God.
<*}}}>< <http://halfthekingdom.mofuse.mobi/>Half the Kingdom!
on your Mobile <*}}}><
<*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/wordpress/>Half the Kingdom!
Blog <*}}}><
<*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the Kingdom! Main Site
<*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/by-the-by/>Half the
Kingdom! By the by <*}}}><
Lord, may everything we do begin with Your inspiration and continue
with Your help,
so that all our prayers and works may begin in You and by You be happily ended.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
<*}}}>< <http://halfthekingdom.mofuse.mobi/>Half the Kingdom!
on your Mobile <*}}}><
<*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/wordpress/>Half the Kingdom!
Blog <*}}}><
<*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the Kingdom! Main Site
<*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/by-the-by/>Half the
Kingdom! By the by <*}}}><
Lord, may everything we do begin with Your inspiration and continue
with Your help,
so that all our prayers and works may begin in You and by You be happily ended.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
Please note that I do not send or open attachments sent to this list.
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Catholics on Fire" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/Catholics-on-Fire
May the blessing of Jesus and our Blessed Mother be with you
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
