Pope: the testimony of Christian spouses against a "culture of the provisional" that alienates young people from marriage
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Faced with the "fact" that today, in a "culture of the provisional", fewer young people are getting married, but " blaming women’s emancipation is a form of male chauvinism", Christians must show "the good life of marriage and the family" also becoming "more demanding " in the area of equality between men and women," for example: political backing to the right to equal pay for equal work, the disparity is a pure scandal. "
The family "man and woman who love each other" as God’s "masterpiece" was the subject of which Pope Francis spoke to the 40 thousand people present in St Peter's Square, among whom the Pope toured in his white jeep – inviting two altar boys to climb on board, one of whom suffers from Down syndrome.
Continuing in his catechesis on the family, today the pope said Pope "after considering the two narratives of the Book of Genesis, we now focus directly on Jesus", starting from the episode of the wedding at Cana. "The first of his miraculous signs, in which he reveals his glory, it is performed in the context of a marriage, and it was a gesture of great sympathy for that newly formed family, urged on by the maternal care of Mary. And that reminds us of the Book of Genesis, when God finishes the work of creation and makes His masterpiece; the masterpiece is man and woman. And here Jesus begins his own miracles with this masterpiece, in a marriage, in a wedding party: a man and a woman. So Jesus teaches us that society’s masterpiece is the family: the man and woman who love each other! This is a masterpiece".
"Many things have changed from the time of the wedding at Cana, but the 'sign' of Christ contains a message that is always valid. Today it seems it is not easy to speak of marriage as a celebration that is renewed over time, in the different seasons of the couple’s life. It is a fact that fewer people are marrying; this is a fact: young people do not want to get married. In many countries instead the number of separations is increasing, while the number of children is decreasing. The trouble staying together - both as a couple and as a family - leads people to break ties with increasing frequency and speed, and their children are the first to bear the consequences. We should think that the first victims, the most important victims, the victims who suffer the most in a separation are the children. If you experience as a child that marriage is a 'temporary' bond, unconsciously that’s what it will be for you. In fact, many young people are led to give up the project of an irrevocable bond and a lasting family. I think we need to think very seriously about why so many young people 'do not feel' like they will marry. There is this culture of the provisional ... everything is temporary, it seems that nothing is definitive. These young people who do not want to get married are one of the concerns that emerge today: Why don’t young people get married ?; Why do they often prefer to live together, and often prefer a 'limited responsibility'?; Why do so many - even among the baptized - have little confidence in marriage and family? It is important to try to understand this, if we want young people to find the right path. Why do they lack confidence in the family? ".
"The problems are not only economic, although these may be very serious. Many believe that the change that has occurred in recent decades was set in motion from the emancipation of women. But even this argument is not valid. Moreover it is an insult! No, it is not true! It is a form of sexism, which always wants to dominate the woman. We behave as badly as Adam, when God told him:' Why did you eat the fruit? ', and he answered: 'She gave it to me'. It is the fault of the woman. Poor woman! We must defend the women, eh! ".
"In fact, almost all men and women would like a stable emotional security, a solid marriage and a happy family. The family is a top is popular among young people; but, for fear of failure, many do not even want to think about it; although Christians, they do not think of sacramental marriage, as a unique and unrepeatable sign of the covenant, which becomes a testimony of faith. Perhaps this fear of failure is the biggest obstacle to receiving the word of Christ, who promises his grace to the conjugal union and the family. The most persuasive testimony of the blessing of Christian marriage is a life well lived by Christian spouses and families. There is no better way to speak of the beauty of the sacrament! Marriage consecrated by God preserves the bond between man and woman that God has blessed since the creation of the world; and is a source of peace and good for the whole family and for the whole of married life. For example, in the early days of Christianity, this great dignity of the link between the man and the woman defeated an abuse that was considered quite normal at the time, namely the right of husbands to divorce their wives, even with the most specious and humiliating reasons. The Gospel of the family, the gospel announcing this very sacrament has defeated this culture of common repudiation. The Christian seed of the radical equality between the spouses must now bring new fruits. The testimony of the social dignity of marriage will become persuasive on this path, the path of testimony that attracts, the path of reciprocity between couples and the complementarity between them. "
"Therefore, as Christians, we have to become more demanding in this respect. For example: backing to the right to equal pay for equal work; Why it is assumed that women should earn less than men? No! the same right. This inequality is a pure scandal! At the same time, we must recognize the maternity of women and the paternity of men as a perennially valid treasure, for the benefit of children. Equally, the virtue of hospitality of Christian families is of critical importance today, especially in situations of poverty, degradation, of family violence".
"Dear brothers and sisters - concluded the Pope - we must not be afraid to invite Jesus to the wedding feast! And we must not be afraid to invite Jesus to our home, to be with us and watch over the family. And his Mother Mary! Christians, when they marry 'in the Lord', turn into an efficacious sign of the love of God. Christians do not marry just for themselves: they marry in the Lord on behalf of the whole community, the whole of society. I will also speak This beautiful vocation of Christian marriage, in the next catechesis. "
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