English
EspañolAn intimate communion of love and life that contains the potential of unity and genealogy inherent in human sexuality can only be formed between a man and woman. Only this union holds the power of conceiving their own children, those who are truly “ours,” for they share our flesh and blood. Given the unique and unrepeatable person that each child is, they demand to be formed amidst the loving marital union of his or her parents.
Text
Let us cross the threshold of this tranquil home, with its family sitting around the festive table. At the center, we see the father and mother, a couple with their personal story of love. They embody the primordial divine plan clearly spoken of by Christ himself: “Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female?” (Mt 19:4). We hear an echo of the command found in the Book of Genesis: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh (Gen 2:24)”. (The Joy of Love, n.9)
Commentary
We recognize ourselves as children, fathers, mothers, siblings, grandparents… not because of a simple biogenetic connection but rather because of the several types of love that reside in the intimacy that comes forth when, as a family, you share the same flesh and blood. When that unbreakable and definite union between biological genealogy and conjugal union – that is, flesh and blood – isn´t present, a spec of division is introduced in the core structure of a family project that will manifest itself as life goes on, whether as missing parts or contradictions within the relationships between the members.
Given the difficulty of navigating life´s storms when a family is founded upon marriage – the union of man and woman – the absence of an authentic marital union makes the navigation that much harder since the ship used to sail is smaller and more fragile. Historical experience proves this true.
I thank God each day for the family and friends I have been given. Difficulty and hardship never cease to exist. However, we all agree on moving forward as a family. I have been able to learn from each one of them, from their experience, their success, and failure, concluding that it is essential to be prepared, extremely prepared. I am thankful that I have had the resources to educate myself and help educate those who surround me regarding the topic of love. My wife is firm in her beliefs, and the progress of our family rests greatly on her shoulders. Nonetheless, I am well aware that marriage and family are challenges for husband and wife. A fascinating one to embark upon, which requires two to live the experience of being a single “us.” If this unity is lived – “and they shall become one flesh” – their house will be a warm, serene home where everybody will be seated at the “festive table.”
