If we are not careful, life can get too busy. Maybe New York is the “city that doesn’t sleep,” because those of us that live here are too busy to sleep. Unfortunately, all that activity and pressure isn’t helpful for our most important (earthly) relationship—our marriage.
The Evening for Married Couples on Tuesday, October 5th at the Church of the Resurrection in Rye offered a perfect antidote to a stress-filled life and the deadening effect it can have on our marriage. Fr. Mark Hayden, LC spoke to married couples in the beautiful, peaceful church with soft, soothing music playing in the background. With the Blessed Sacrament exposed, Fr. Mark counseled us to slow down for the evening. “If the Devil can’t make you sin, he makes you hurry,” were his opening words.
As we hurry, we tend to lose sight of the big picture, and Fr. Mark used his brief, 20-minute talk to remind us all of the big picture concerning marriage. Using Matthew 19, 1-9 as a point of departure, Fr. Mark discussed God’s intention in creating marriage. Like Adam, we could find ourselves alone, but God has created someone for us; someone with unique gifts and an interior beauty that complement our own gifts and beauty. Together we are two halves of a whole.
We were all given questions to reflect upon and then we were given ten minutes or so to discuss our thoughts with our spouse. The large church gave every couple plenty of room for private, intimate
conversation. “How does my spouse complement me?” “How can I make myself a more perfect gift to my beloved?” Being with my spouse calls forth many feelings, some good and some not so good. “What can my spouse do to strengthen those good feelings and eliminate the bad ones? And how can I do the same for my spouse?” Only by slowing down and looking anew at our spouse and our marriage can we answer those questions; these questions and reflections refresh and strengthen our marriage—God’s gift to us.
Fr. Mark ended the formal part of the evening with Benediction. All of the couples then wentdownstairs to relax together with delicious wine, cheese, dessert and lively conversation.
This month’s Evening for Married Couples was the first of a series of monthly evenings focused on strengthening our marriages. Please join us for our next opportunity to pause, learn, and pray about marriage. It will be held next month, Tuesday November 2nd at the Church of The Resurrection in Rye at 7:30 PM.
