Faith, Hope and Love

We need to consciously grow in Faith, Hope and Love during our day-to-day walk, but can we? Three of the greatest Christian powers for life are faith, hope and love, without these in our lives we are all but sunk. For a Christian walk to thrive we must either attain these qualities or at the very least strive for them. This is especially true during in the preparation for marriage. When we council young people on the sanctity of marriage and how they must grow together as a single unit, these three components must be central.

During the courtship period for a couple it seems like two out of these three are very strong. It is a time of intense love and euphoria like they are walking on water, never to be separated. Once the decision to marry is made, the world seems like the Garden of Eden. It is also a time of great hope, not in the sense of a clear hope that everything will be all right, but more in the sense of having someone that is so worth living for and with. So often though the one trait that is neglected is faith. This is the one quality that so many people are so unsure of, if they think about it at all. But no need to fret, God is there in the background and what a time it is for us to redirect the conversation to how Faith is a core component in the lives of newly weds. You know, never let the sun go down on your anger, seek the Lord while he can be found.

The pre-marital counseling time is such a special time to work on growing the faith of a young couple that will carry them through a lifetime of Love and Hope. It is a time when couples are going to look to us for prayers and advice, let us not forget the larger picture. Make it a time not just to chat but also to enter into real conversation of how God needs to be a core component in the bond of family and marriage. It is a time for them to grow in the knowledge of what the sacrament of marriage is and to discover the reassurance that Jesus will be with them always in their Love and Hope. It is a time to teach them to pray together for their marriage and for all that The Lord has for their life together. And it is a time to appreciate once again the responsibility we have to shepherd those we are entrusted with. So that their love will grow and their hope can become ever stronger and Faith can be developed.
Tone