Courage for those engaged

Commentary

It is direct, clear, categorical advice from Pope Francis to engaged couples. When you love, you are not staring in a theater play or a movie; you cannot embody characters as if you were an actor or actress; you cannot sell love falsehoods. If you want to love, you have to be brave and truthful. You need to go against the tide of materialism, which in many cases erases the authentic surrender and embrace demanded by the truth of love. A loved one is not to be used and thrown away. Many people reach their wedding day without the faintest notion of what giving themselves and embracing wholly, sincerely, loyally, and faithfully entails. My whole masculine being, which includes my paternity. My whole feminine self, which contains my motherhood. Not for today or for a season, but a lifetime; for better or for worse, in fortune or misfortune, health or sickness. Not for as long as you are useful to me or I take advantage of you! These situations consist of using the other person, not loving them. Love occurs between people of unconditional worth, not towards an object or thing.