Tertullian, on Marriage

"In the time of the early Church, Tertullian, believing his death to be approaching, wrote two books entitled Ad Uxorem, To My Wife. In the last chapter of the second book he gives an unforgettable picture of marriage. One cannot meditate on it too often.
He extols the happiness of marriage 'which the Church approves, the Holy Sacrifice confirms, the Blessing seals, the Angels witness, and God ratifies. What an alliance is that of two faithful souls united in a single hope, under a single discipline, under a similar dependence. Both are servants of the same Master. There is not distinction of mind or of body. Both are in truth one flesh. Where there is but one body, there is but one mind. They kneel in prayer together, they teach each other, support each other. They are together in church, together at the Banquet of God, together in trials, in joy. They are incapable of hiding from each other, of deserting each other, of annoying each other. In complete liberty, they visit the sick and help the poor . Without anxiety about each other they give alms freely, assist at Holy Mass and without any embarrassment manifest their fervor daily. They do not know what it means to make a furtive sign of the cross, to mumble trembling greetings, to invoke silent blessings. They sing hymns and psalms vying with each other to give God the most praise. Christ rejoices to see and hear them and gives them His peace. Wherever they are, Christ is with them.'

Daily Mass

I used to go to Mass daily, solo. It was a wonderful time of spiritual growth. Then I discerned that my kids needed to go. Another time of growth, but different. Now I see that I must leave God at the altar to find Him in my duties, as St Frances of Rome says. I think my time at Daily Mass was so beautiful, but now I offer my aching and longing as a gift. As a friend reminded me recently: 1 Samuel
15:22 "And Samuel said: Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims, and not rather that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifices: and to hearken rather than to offer the fat or rams."



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