These three positive steps, to think and pray about, were written by a married parishioner from the Clifton Diocese.
Developing and nurturing positive relationships with those we love is so important. Here are three positive steps to think and pray about.
In our busy lives, it is easy sometimes to fall into the trap of taking things for granted; or worse still, taking God and the other people we love for granted. We need to remind ourselves frequently that everything we are and everything we have is a gift from God. We need to nurture grateful hearts. When you say your prayers with your family every evening, try including a time to say thank you to God and to each other for all your blessings.
Whenever we realise that we have offended God or hurt someone else, we need to be brave enough to say sorry. It is equally important to forgive each other, just as God forgives us when we confess our sins. Try to include in your family prayers a time of silence to reflect on the day and call to mind anything for which we need to say sorry to God. It might be something we have said or thought or done, or something we failed to think or say or do. Why not learn an act of contrition you can pray together as a family, or create your own?
It costs so little to show kindness to others, but it can make a huge difference to the atmosphere in our homes. Even small acts of kindness demonstrate our love for each other. It might be no more than an encouraging word, or an offer to help, or a smile. Why not set yourself a challenge to do at least seven selfless acts of kindness every day? Ask the Holy Spirit and your guardian angel to help you.
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Part of the role of a married person is to help their spouse get to heaven.
Lead Bishop for Marriage and Family Life on the value of marriage to society.
Jane Deegan offers this reflection on marriage as a sacrament.
