Archbishop Hartmayer celebrated a special Mass at Saint Brigid on Saturday, February 8th, honoring couples in the Archdiocese of Atlanta celebrating the 50th or 60th anniversary of their marriage.
These couples have committed themselves in a sacramental way to the Lord, and to one another. In our Church tradition, a man and woman are not only joined to each other in marriage, they are also joined to Christ. As the sign of God’s presence in the world, Christ is the foundation of their union. The couple then joins Christ as an outward sign of God’s love.
They are able to open themselves to each other in love because God has first loved them.
In reflecting on a couple’s love for one another, Catholic author and educator Matthew Kelly indicated that in marriage, couples strive to allow themselves to share fully with each other emotionally, intellectually, physically, and spiritually, within their human limitations. Marriage also requires real openness to give and to receive. This openness requires trust in each other and trust in the Lord. In marriage, couples strive to reflect the total giving of self by Christ on the cross.
Our Holy Father, Pope Francis has a great appreciation for the vocation of marriage. As reported in the media outlet, “Vatican News”, he prayed that the Lord “might give to the Church and to society a more profound and more beautiful understanding of marriage, so that we all might be able to appreciate and reflect upon (the fact) that the image and likeness of God are present in marriage.”
The following “50th Wedding Anniversary Prayer” asks God to continue to bless a couple who have shared a life together:
May God, who has given you fifty years together, of his infinite goodness and mercy, continue to bless you and your union.
May the Father who created you, the Son who redeems you, and the Holy Spirit who sanctifies you, preserve and keep you all your days.
May the Lord with his favor look upon you and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that you may so please him in this life, that in the world to come you may have life everlasting.
Amen
As we reflect on this prayer and on the words of Our Holy Father, we are encouraged to give thanks to our anniversary couples for truly embracing the vocation of marriage and for the profound example of endearing and steadfast love that they have provided for us.