A prophet in his own house

” A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” (Mt 13: 57)

Difficult for everybody, but especially in married life. It reminds me of the beautiful paragraph no. 51 in Familiaris consortio, Apostolic Exhortation of St. John Paul II. One paragraph earlier the Pope wrote: “Since the Christian family is a community in which the relationships are renewed by Christ through faith and the sacraments, the family’s sharing in the Church’s mission should follow a community pattern: the spouses together as a couple, the parents and children as a family, must live their service to the Church and to the world. They must be “of one heart and soul”(117) in faith, through the shared apostolic zeal that animates them, and through their shared commitment to works of service to the ecclesial and civil communities”. (FC 50)

I like so much the expression: “community pattern: the spouses together as a couple.” It was from the beginning our idea for couch couples. It is the only way for practicing faith and role as prophets for couples.

Today I keep in my prayer all our couch couples, so thankful for their outstanding mission and also asking for special blessing, knowing how difficult their mission is in their “own house.”

“It was not you who chose me, says the Lord, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” (Communion Antiphon)