Be Filled

Sacrament and Mystery (Part One)

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Welcome to another episode of the Be Filled Podcast! We have been analyzing with JPII the Sacrament of Marriage. This episode we begin a new section entitled “Sacrament and Mystery” which takes us even deeper into the mystery of God’s love. This episode we will examine Audiences 94-95b. 

Quotes: 

“In him he has chosen us before the foundation of the world to be holy and immaculate in his sight in love…” (Ephesians 1:4) 

“But it is the New Adam who definitively reveals the mystery by leaving his Father in Heaven and leaving the home of his mother on earth to “cleave to his wife” (the Church) and become “one flesh” with her.” (Christopher West, Theology of the Body Explained, pg. 408) 

See Scripture for this passage: Isa 54:4–10

“..the true character of the gift that God’s love is for Israel, a gift coming entirely from God’s initiative; in other words, by indicating the dimension of grace, which is contained in this love from the beginning. This is perhaps the strongest “declaration of love” by God, joined with a solemn oath of faithfulness forever.” (TOB 95:3) 

“...saving love which consists in his gift of self for the Church, is a spousal love by which he marries the Church and makes her his own Body”. (TOB 95:7)

“...the gift given by God to man in Christ…is in some sense “all” that God “could” give of himself to man, considering the limited faculties of man as a creature…in this way the analogy of spousal love indicates the “radical” character of grace: of the whole order of created grace.” (TOB 95b:4) 

“...the visible sign of marriage “in the beginning” transposes the eternal plan of love into the “historical” dimension and makes it the foundation of the whole sacramental order.” (TOB 95b:7) 

Reflection Questions: 

  1. What spoke to your heart most in this episode of the podcast? 
  2. Have you ever deeply considered the odds of your existence? Consider that God has chosen you before the foundation of the world. What stirs in your heart when you think of how God has willed you to be here? 
  3. Consider that God has plans and designs for all of eternity. Is there anything going on in your life right now that you are struggling to accept? Pray with this and ask God to help you to see how He might be able to form you through the circumstances. How could He be at work to make you holy and immaculate? 
  4. What have you learned about the love of Christ through your marriage? What have you learned about marriage through the love of Christ? How is your marriage a “lab” for better understanding God’s love? 
  5. How has God been faithful to you even when you were not faithful to Him? 
  6. In what ways has God pursued you in your life? Have you let Him “catch you”? 
  7. How does your relationship with God impact your relationship with your spouse? 
  8. Could you relate to the letter Katie read? How do you walk through difficult times in life with your spouse? 
  9. Do you see your marriage as an eternal covenant? What difference does that make in your marriage? 
  10. Are you trying to manage your marriage or are you open to the grace God wants to pour out in and through your marriage? 

    11. Resources: 

    “Night” by Elie Wiesel

    “He Leadeth Me” by Father Walter Ciszec

    Audio: Music from #Uppbeat

    License code: RY08CU821XYO4AEB

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