How can you help young people prepare well for marriage, and how can you help couples with marital problems to overcome them? - Daily Reflections October 4,2015

“UNTIL DEATH DO US PART”

 

The U.S. Census Bureau report for the ‘90s was released back in 2001. Here are its disturbing findings concerning the family. “Households headed by unmarried partners grew by almost 72 percent from 1990 to 2000. Most of these arrangements were men and women living together out of wedlock. Other studies have shown that cohabitation increased by almost 1,000 percent from 1960 to 1998. Households headed by single mothers increased by more than 25 percent, and those led by single fathers grew by almost 62 percent.”

       The next finding is more shocking: “For the first time ever, nuclear families dropped below 25 percent of households. That’s a mom, dad and children — the nuclear family — represents less than a quarter of all homes.”

       Another finding partially explains why this is happening: “A third of all babies are born to unmarried women (33 percent) compared to only 4 percent in 1940. There is a growing number of women in their late 20s and 30s who decide to bear and raise children on their own.

       In this new world, old taboos against divorce and cohabitation are disappearing. Culture is abandoning its commitment to lifelong marriage. It is predicted now, based on these trends, that about half of the children today will spend at least part of their childhood in single-parent homes.” This moral breakdown in our society has many factors: the sexual revolution of the ‘60s, the secularization of our society, the women’s movement.

       What is said here about the U.S. is more or less valid also for our society. It is shocking to hear about young people’s psychological sufferings and hurts because of their broken families.

       If only young people would realize that the command of Jesus in today’s Gospel and the teaching of the Church are only for the good of their future and that of their children, our society would move into a brighter future. For Jesus and the Church want only the best for the faithful. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: How can you help young people prepare well for marriage, and how can you help couples with marital problems to overcome them?

 

Lord, how painful it must be for You to see that Your teaching about marriage is ignored by so many, even of Your followers. Make me an instrument of healing when I see couples in trouble.