THE WAY #26

"Matrimony is a holy sacrament.  When the time comes for you to receive it, ask your spiritual adviser or your confessor to suggest a suitable book.  And you will be better prepared to bear worthily the burdens of the home."

The two become one.  My parents and my in-laws were beautiful examples of married love.

The Way #25

"Don't Argue.  Arguing seldom brings light, for the light is quenched by passion."

Some of us are not great at arguing; we shut down or walk away.  Some things need to be defended and we have to speak up.  We have to speak the truth but always with charity and compassion.

THE WAY #24

"You are ambitious: for knowledge, for leadership, for great ventures.  Good.  Very good.  But let it be for Christ, for LOVE."

Love really is all that matters.  We need to put love into our environment wherever we are.  The love we bring has to be strong, courageous, and demanding.  That's not possible unless we are united to Christ.  We need to pray and receive the sacraments.

THE WAY #23

"You say that you can't do more?  Could it not be that... you can't do less?"

What are our priorities? How do we spend our time? When children are little our time is spent trying to keep up. We make a morning offering and then the day takes off.  Hopefully, we incorporate prayer and acts of virtue into our day so that we make an effort to improve: to get closer to God. 

As we get older we have the opportunity to choose how we spend our time. If we're not improving we're getting worse.

THE WAY #22

"Be firm. Be virile. Be a man. And then... be a saint."

I had a wonderful English teacher in junior high school who taught us not to be upset with male gender references.  Yes, that was in the early sixties.  

I don't, for a minute, think that this point shouldn't matter to women.  Women need to be firm, be strong, be women and be saints.

THE WAY #21

"Excuses. You will always find plenty if you want to avoid your obligations. What a profusion of well-thought-out nonsense!
Don't stop to consider it. Dismiss it and do your duty."


You can imagine how hard I laughed when I read point #21 after not making an entry in two years! 

I have a number of good excuses. I could begin with two weddings and four grandchildren. There are two more weddings and at least one more grandchild before September. 

There really aren't any excuses for loving less than we are able. We all have opportunities to spread love and we will have to answer for our missed opportunities.