Married Life One of the most beautiful yet short definitions of marriage comes from a document of the Second Vatican Council. It says that marriage is 'a communion of life and love'. That really means that a married couple before they share anything must learn to share themselves with each other. This probably isn't easy. Most of us haven't been trained to listen to one another or share deeply. Marriage is like a school where people really learn to love by thinking of the other before themselves. In this way marriage isn't really a contract. Contracts are about things, exchanging this and that. Marriage is really about a covenant. A covenant doesn't exchange things, it is a promise that exchanges lives! God has entered many covenants with us throughout history but the most important one was when Jesus became Man. He became one of us so that by sharing our life, our sufferings and ultimately death, we could share in God's own life because of the resurrection. We may be unfaithful, but God is always faithful and will never go back on his promises.

It's in this way that the Sacrament of Marriage reflects God's love for us. His love is total because he desires our deepest joy, our lasting happiness. His love is faithful, merciful and forgiving. In all aspects of married life the couple are called to reflect God's love for us. When we see a husband and wife we should be able to see something of God's love for us all mirrored there, reflected in the love, generosity, faithfulness and mercy they show towards one other. Marriage is a wonderful vocation to share in God's love.

Today there is a real need for genuine marriage preparation but more than that couples must find ways of enriching their relationships however long they have been married to keep them strong and healthy. In the diocese of Brentwood there are growing opportunities to take part in Marriage Courses around the diocese.

• Information about Marriage and Family Life can be found on the diocesan website, www.dioceseofbrentwood.net. This link will
  take you directly there; if it does not, the path from the home page is 'Services and Support' » 'Justice and Social Responsibility'.
• As events are announced, they will also be advertised on the events page of this website.
• See also the page at www.rcdow.org.uk/pastoralaffairs for details of marriage enrichment seminars held at Aylesford, Ealing and
  Birmingham.