Tag Archives: healing

Forgiveness that Heals and Restores

22 Sunday Nov 2020

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In a previous blog, we shared the importance of forgiveness in a thriving marriage. When we sin against each other and hurt each other, we stop the flow of God’s grace that can bring healing to our relationship.

In this blog, we want to share with you what a genuine apology and true forgiveness looks like. We learned these skills at the Unveiled: Discovering the Great Mystery marriage conference put on by the John Paul II Healing Center. The conference was co-led by the founder of the John Paul II Healing Center, Dr. Bob Schuchts, and his daughter Carrie Schuchts Daunt.

Reconciling with our spouse in marriage is similar to reconciling with God in confession. Dr. Schuchts says, “It requires an honest and humble apology, where we take responsibility for our offenses, express sorrow for them, and seek forgiveness and healing.”[1] Schuchts cites the work of Christian mediator Ken Sande, who outlines the two main components of a biblical approach to reconciliation and healing: Apology and Forgiveness.

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Do You Have a Heart Condition?

27 Sunday Sep 2020

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What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart. Matthew 15:18

Just as a nutritional diet low in saturated fats and exercise is important to the physical health of your heart, so is a regular regiment of prayer, Scripture reading, and reception of the Sacraments important for the spiritual health of your heart. A steady diet high in sodium and saturated fats leads to plaque buildup in the arteries of the heart, leading to heart disease.

The same is true of your spiritual heart. Like plaque, unresolved anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness can severely weaken your spiritual heart, blocking the flow of God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness to your spouse and family. This heart disease is at the root of marital strife and can result in the death of a marriage.

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Feast of the Exultation of the Cross

14 Monday Sep 2020

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ExaltationoftheCross

We should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he is our salvation, our life and our resurrection: through him we are saved and made free.[1]

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exultation of the Cross. This feast is a celebration of God’s greatest work: Christ’s salvific death on the Cross and His Resurrection, through which death was defeated and the gates to Heaven were opened. The cross is the universal image of Christian belief. Today is a time to ponder what Christ accomplished through His horrific Passion. Look upon the wounds of Christ, gaze into His eyes. See the love that He has for you; His willingness to suffer and die so that you may gain eternal life.

“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

Jesus calls us to follow him by taking up our cross daily. In marriage, your spouse is your cross. Some of you may be snickering in agreement with this statement but this cross is your path to sanctification. As Christ was wounded and died on the cross, marriage binds two wounded individuals in a lifelong covenant. The wounds of your spouse are holy ground. We are called to unite our woundedness and suffering to those of Christ on the cross.

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A Reflection for the First Sunday in Advent: Encountering Jesus

02 Sunday Dec 2018

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Healing of the Man Born Blind, El Greco, c.1573

One thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see. John 9:25

In the account of Jesus healing the man born blind (see John 9), the blind man encounters Jesus and his life is forever changed. The Gospels are full of stories of people who encountered Jesus and had their lives turned upside down. Examples are Jesus Calling the First Disciples (Mt 18-22), The Call of Matthew (Mt 9:9), The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus (Mk 10:46-52), Jesus and Zacchaeus (Lk 19:1-10), Jesus and the Samaritan Woman (Jn 4:1-30), and The Conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1-22).

This Advent, we invite you on a journey toward Bethlehem where you will find the Christ child waiting for you to embrace Him. Along the way, you will discover the importance of encountering Jesus personally. You’ll also discover why it is important to make Jesus the center of your marriage and the center of your family. Finally, you’ll discover the mission He has called you to carry out in your neighborhood and the world.

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It Was Worth It!

27 Saturday Oct 2018

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Are you suffering difficulties and strife in marriage, even separation and divorce? God can heal your broken relationship.

Rose and I (Dennis) were both widowed. Before the death of my first wife, Therese, I experienced God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness in healing after divorce.

By faith, in confidence, with perseverance and obedience to God, my marriage was saved from the pit of death. God is faithful. He never gives up on any of His children. Was the pain of my divorce worth it? Was standing eight years for the healing of my marriage worth it? Were the sorrow, pain and loneliness worth it? Was having my marriage restored only to have my wife die two short years later worth it? Yes, by the grace of God, it was worth it!

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Forgiveness and Healing in Marriage

20 Saturday Oct 2018

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JPII Forgiveness

In our marriage coaching, we frequently see unforgiveness as a major obstacle for couples in achieving the intimate and fulfilling relationships that they deeply desire. Unforgiveness, bitterness, and anger towards your spouse poisons the relationship. We have heard it said that unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. True healing can only take place when offenses are forgiven, and forgotten, never to be brought up again as a weapon against your spouse.

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Good Things Come to Those Who Wait on the Lord

30 Saturday Jun 2018

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In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Luke 1:5-7

Zechariah and Elizabeth were called “upright in the sight of the Lord” because of their devotion to God. Not only were they obedient to God in the outward compliance to the letter of the law, their obedience grew out of hearts desiring to please Him.

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Trust in the Lord!

10 Saturday Jun 2017

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Never Be Afraid to Trust

We have found that as we make a greater commitment to loving and serving the Lord with all our hearts, minds and strength, the attacks of the Evil One have increased against us. Satan wants to destroy marriage and families because they are an image of the love of the Triune God. Through prayer and discernment, we see that God is calling us to a greater dependence and trust in His loving care and mercy.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:5

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