It can be hard to get our heads around the amazing gift that Jesus made of himself by dying on the cross for our salvation. We are told that it was a personal sacrifice, that if we were the only one in need, he would have still gone through with it – his love for each of
Marriages are in perpetual transition, growing, evolving, and cycling through periods of plentiful intimacy and barren despondency. In many ways, these are just like the seasons: Spring: is the season of growth and hopefulness. It’s when a couple can feel most optimistic about their relationship because it is growing vigorously and the future promises luscious
It was 1985 and our whole family had gone to hear a talk by visiting Jesuit Father Charles Gallagher. He was proposing a radical approach to Christmas: cancel the bought presents and give gifts of personal sacrifice, affirmation, service and kindness. Instead of the usual toys, movie tickets, clothes or festive foods, he challenged us
Every person is created with a divine destiny: God created us for eternal union with him. Our earthly life is preparation for this union but all too often, we neglect our spiritual development through busyness and pre-occupation with the things of this world. Sarah was on a mission. Her husband had become ambivalent about attending
Men and women experience love in different and complementary ways. However, a woman will generally express love the way she experiences it, not the way her husband does. Most women primarily experience love through gestures of cherishment, while men experience love most powerfully through the medium of respect. Here are five ways you can nail
There's a difference between marrying in the church and at the church. When we marry at the church, often it's just a venue with no real connection to our faith. When we marry in the Church, there is a sense of grounding our relationship in a covenant understanding - that is, that our commitment is
As a grandparent, or expectant one, your relationship with your grandchild comes bundled with your relationship with the parents. It can be helpful to reflect upon your own grandparent encounters in order to better understand your expectations and hopes for your grandchildren. Reflect on your grandparent memories. What is your fondest memory? Revisit your experience of
Too many marriages suffer from insufficient time. In fact, it’s possibly the single biggest contributor to marriage breakdown. There might be an affair or a falling out of love, but usually, these triggers are preceded by a chronic neglect of the relationship and it’s need for time and attention from both husband and wife. Whether
Sarah and Henry are passionately committed to growing deeper in intimacy. Following prostrate surgery that left Henry impotent, they persisted in seeking new ways to express their unity. Their joyfulness is contagious. Like every baptised person, married people are gifted by the Holy Spirit with charisms suited to their individual calling as Christians. However there
We all know that people with a capacity for self-control can accomplish amazing things in life – athletic prowess, academic excellence, financial independence, social revolution – pretty much anything worth doing in life benefits from a disciplined approach. It’s the same with relationships. Marriage, parenting, friendships – they all do a whole lot better when
