Genesis 2:18-25; Psalm 128; Mark 7:24-30
In the first reading, the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a helper fit for him”. All that God created was good but when it came to man’s solitary state God himself said it is not good for man to be alone. Therefore, man is by nature, a social creature; God created us to need companionship. A man alone cannot propagate. Adam by himself was incomplete. God created Eve to complete Adam, to provide society for him, and to enable him to produce children. Does this mean that every man must have a wife? No. In 1 Cor.7:7–9 Paul says that celibacy is a good thing for the servant of God. Does it mean that every woman must be a wife? No. Genesis 2:18 simply sets the standard that a wife is the helper suitable for her husband. They are suitable or fit physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Thus, it was God’s own way of saying that marriage is between a man and a woman. Beloved, like the Syrophoenician woman in the gospel we must make intercession for all demon possess marriages -gay and lesbianism; we must beg Jesus to heal our relatives and children who have deviated from the true path of life.
Let us pray (Prayer for a Good Husband or Wife – pray it aloud)
O Jesus, lover of the young, the dearest Friend I have, in all confidence I open my heart to you to beg your light and assistance in the important task of planning my future. Give me the light of your grace, that I may decide wisely concerning the person who is to be my partner through life. Dearest Jesus, send me such a one whom in your divine wisdom you judge best suited to be united with me in marriage. May her/his character reflect some of the traits of your own Sacred Heart. May s/he be upright, loyal, pure, sincere and noble, so that with united efforts and with pure and unselfish love we both may strive to perfect ourselves in soul and body, as well as the children it may please you to entrust to our care. Bless our friendship before marriage, that sin may have no part in it. May our mutual love bind us so closely, that our future home may ever be most like your own at Nazareth. O Mary Immaculate, sweet Mother of the young, to your special care I entrust the decision I am to make as to my future wife/husband. You are my guiding Star! Direct me to the person with whom I can best cooperate in doing God’s Holy Will, with whom I can live in peace, love and harmony in this life, and attain to eternal joys in the next.
Amen.
