Totus Tuus (Latin for “Totally Yours”) is a ministry for married couples in all stages of life. From Newlyweds to Empty Nesters, all are welcome! Totus Tuus will be hosting quarterly Date Nights focused on fostering the relationship between husband and wife. Contact Michael and Ragan Savedra at totustuus@stedithstein.org for dates of events and more information.
Marriage Is a Trip and God Has the Map Gifted pianists or brilliant pediatric surgeons will often speak of their profession as a calling, a pull in the depth of their hearts that only it can fulfill. It is wonderful to have a career or a passion that is a vocation, but in a deeper way, marriage is a Vocation, a call put on one’s heart by God, and a way to love that each person fulfills in a unique way. In the sacrament of marriage, spouses follow the “way” of Jesus (Jn 14:6), making a generous, irrevocable gift of self. The 20th century theologian Hans Urs Von Balthasar wrote, “The inner form of love is a vow.” In other words, authentic love is total and forever. Through their vows, couples receive the grace to live out their high calling. Their life in Christ unfolds, and by his grace they become the best version of themselves. And it shows! In fact, married people and their children are more likely to attend church and enjoy better health, finances, life satisfaction, and happiness than their unmarried peers! Self-gift can seem especially risky in a self-centered culture. Yet God has a plan for each person’s life that includes a specific, personalized Vocation. God’s plan makes the adventure and the risk worth taking. Young men and women should pray, “God, are you calling me to marriage?” The Vocation of marriage requires discernment and preparation when young, learning to give of oneself through service, self-sacrifice, works of mercy, and choosing to love especially when it’s hard. This World Marriage Day, thank God for the gift of marriage. Witness to the beauty of marriage by going on a date, talking about your marriage with your kids, and showing the world that this Vocation is truly a pilgrimage of faith and hope in love, because God has the map!
“God who created man out of love also calls him to love - the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being… Since God created him man and woman, their mutual love becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man.” Catechism of the Catholic Church #1604