See the daily excerpt from the preparatory catechesis for the 2015 World Meeting of Families, “Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.”

45. Saint John Paul II often spoke about the “nuptial or spousal meaning of the body.” He echoed the teaching of Vatican II that the “partnership of man and woman constitutes the first form of communion between persons.” But sexual difference marks all our relationships, even for the unmarried, since we each enter life as a son or a daughter. We are called to be a brother or sister not only to those in our families, but also to the needy in our neighborhoods, communities, and churches. Our identity as men and women is the basis of our call to fatherhood or motherhood, natural or spiritual. In this way, sexual difference has universal significance.

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In its introduction, the document says its aim is to present “Catholic teaching in a way that is fresh, insightful, and accessible to contemporary Catholics and all people of good will.” The catechesis “offers a narrative beginning with our creation, soberly noting our fall and the challenges we face, but emphasizing God’s plan for our salvation. Love is our mission, and it is by loving God and one another that we will be fully alive.”

Each day in CatholicPhilly.com’s World Meeting of Families section you can reflect on the official Catholic teaching on the family presented in the catechesis, pray a special prayer together as a family or individually, and stay on top of breaking news about the events coming Sept. 22-27, 2015.

Order the catechesis for your home via Our Sunday Visitor, and visit WorldMeeting2015.org for more information on the events.

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