Grand Opening

My father is an editor of a devotional booklet called One Bread, One Body, which is based around the daily Mass readings. Here's his reflection for on today's readings, written back when my sister was engaged. It's the antidote to Darwin's Orphan Openings marital dystopia.

Friday, February 11, 2011, Our Lady of Lourdes

Genesis 3:1-8
Psalm 32:1-2, 5-7
Mark 7:31-37

GRAND OPENING

"Then the eyes of both of them were opened." -Genesis 3:7, RNAB

My daughter is engaged. She and her fiance are preparing for marriage by taking counsel from the writings of the Popes and the wealth of the extraordinarily beautiful teachings of the Catholic Church on married life and human reproduction. Praise be to God for His glorious plan for man and woman!

The innocent eyes of Adam and Eve were opened to the world of sin and disobedience when they disobeyed God. Now in a sinful, secular world, which by its nature rebels against the will of God, married couples and those preparing for marriage desperately need to have their eyes opened (Gn 3:7) to the glory of God's beautiful plan for marriage. God's plan draws upon the original innocence and intimacy of man and woman before the fall. Yet God's plan far exceeds his original plan for Adam and Eve. It has been redeemed in Jesus to a new, risen, glorious innocence and intimacy of man and woman made into new creations in Jesus.

Married couples and those preparing for marriage, put your relationship in the hands of Jesus. Let Jesus touch your eyes and ears, and open them to hear God's will for your marriage. Jesus "has done everything well" (Mk 7:37), and He will make your relationship better than you could ever ask for or imagine (Eph 3:20).


Prayer: Father, may all men and women let Jesus open their eyes (Gn 3:7) and ears (Mk 7:35).

Promise: "You are my Shelter; from distress You will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom You will ring me round." -Ps 32:7

Praise: Pedro keeps a bottle of Lourdes water on his desk at work. It has started numerous conversations and has led to evangelistic opportunities in the workplace.