Lenten Reflection: The Theological Virtue of Hope

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Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful Hebrews 10:23

On this the third Sunday of Lent, we continue our reflections on the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love. We will transition to the virtue of hope for two weeks. You can read the first two reflections on faith here and here.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines hope as “the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (CCC, 1817).

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Lenten Reflection: The Theological Virtue of Faith – Part 2

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Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful Hebrews 10:23

On this the second Sunday of Lent, we continue our reflections on the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love. This is the second part of our study on the virtue of Faith. You can read the first reflection here.

In today’s first reading we are told, “Abram put his faith in the Lord” (Gen 15:6). This was Abram’s response to God’s promise to make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. Despite the fact that Abram and Sarah were childless and well past childbearing age, Abram believed and trusted that God would keep this promise.

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Lenten Reflection: The Theological Virtue of Faith

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On this the first Sunday of Lent, we invite you to journey with us as we study the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love. “A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good,” says the Catechism of the Catholic Church (803). Further, the “theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity” (1813). “Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us,” and it is by faith that “‘man freely commits his entire self to God’ (Dei Verbum, 5)” (1814).

In The Gift of Faith, Fr. Tadeusz Dajczer writes:

The desert is not a dwelling place; it is only a path, a road on which one comes to know the merciful love of God. Everyone who seeks God must pass through it since the experience of the desert is closely related to the deepening of our faith in His mercy.

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Make your Lenten Sacrifice One of Love

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Build your love upon something more than just infatuation. Build it on something more transcendent, more spiritual, and more authentic.

Christ is that foundation. The love you have for Christ must be rooted in the heart of both husband and wife. This love must be present for your relationship to thrive. This kind of love is unchanging; it is not affected by the successes or trials of life. This love makes each relationship something beautiful, something joyful, something fruitful. It is a love bigger than both of you.

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Marriage Coaching: A Tune-Up for Your Marriage

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Marriage is in crisis. Breakdown of the family is epidemic. In 2014, 48 international scholars and marriage advocates sent a Commitment to Marriage letter to members of the Synod on Marriage and Family. The letter was a call to action for the Church to support the building of strong, healthy, lifelong, and holy families. The letter included concrete proposals, based in part on social-science data, that if implemented would reduce family breakups.

One initiative that the letter proposed was the establishment of “vibrant networks of strong married couples as mentors at the parish level.” The Archdiocese of Detroit has implemented a Marriage Coaching Ministry that utilizes strong married couples as coaches and mentors to help couples to improve their marriages. Matt and Mindy Dalton, founders of Marriage Missionaries, brought this much needed ministry to Detroit.

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Jesus Christ: Source of Hope and Love in Marriage – Part 3

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2018_Exhortation_Cover_Complete My Joy_Full (2)

The last two weeks (Part 1 and Part 2), we have been looking at Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted’s Apostolic Exhortation Complete My Joy, which he wrote to husbands and wives, mothers and fathers of the Diocese of Phoenix. He delves into the importance of having a marriage centered on Jesus Christ. This week we will look at his practical suggestions on how to strengthen your marriage and family life.

Bishop Olmsted identifies six key areas of growth for your marriage and family spirituality:

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Love Bears All: A Reflection for St. Valentine’s Day

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Today we want to share with you a homily on how to live out love. It was given by Fr. Prentice Tipton, Associate Pastor at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, Michigan. Please meditate on this beautiful exegesis on love and share it with others.

“Love Bears All” – Fr. Prentice Tipton

(Please excuse the plywood backdrop; our sanctuary is under renovation.)

Wishing you a blessed St. Valentine’s Day!

Dennis & Rose

Jesus Christ: Source of Hope and Love in Marriage – Part 2

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2018_Exhortation_Cover_Complete My Joy

Last week, we started looking at Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted’s Apostolic Exhortation Complete My Joy, which he wrote to husbands and wives, mothers and fathers of the Diocese of Phoenix. Bishop Olmsted points to Jesus Christ as the source of hope and love in marriage and family life. This week, we will continue in our examination of this timely and much needed exegesis into both biblical and Church teachings on this important topic. As he says:

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Jesus Christ: Source of Hope and Love in Marriage

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Complete My Joy_Cover

On the Feast of the Holy Family, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted promulgated Complete My Joy, an Apostolic Exhortation to husbands and wives, mothers and fathers in the Diocese of Phoenix, This exhortation is relevant to all husbands and wives, mothers and fathers.

Listen to Bishop Olmstead describe his reason for writing this exhortation.

Complete My Joy – Official Trailer

It is a great privilege and a great duty, that we strengthen and encourage [husbands and wives, mothers and fathers], and that we remind them that their vocation is a vital contribution to the world. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted

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How to Save Your Marriage Before It Starts

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Do you want a healthy and happy marriage? Then listen to Lisa Brenninkmeyer as she shares the truth about marriage and explains how to set yourself up for success before saying “I do.” Even if you have said “I do,” you will find truths to counter the cultural lies about love and relationships.

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