Posted December 10, 2014

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

67. Jesus creates a new possibility for us, a vision of marriage based on his covenant with the Church, a marriage based on abiding permanence, chastity, and mercy. We can see how this sacramental marriage integrates with the whole of Christian life, for cultivating the virtues of love, interior freedom, fidelity, mercy, and forgiveness is a lifelong project which builds upon habits of prayer, participation in the Sacraments, and familiarity with the story of God’s covenant. The Lord knows that no marriage displays all the virtues all the time, but in his mercy, he gives us Penance and Eucharist so that we might grow in our capacity to love as Jesus does. Orienting our lives this way demands sacrifice, but in the end, this life is beautiful. Jesus is the path of truth and joy.

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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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