I Do, I Do

Couples who mark milestone anniversaries of marriage inspire me.

Marriage is the tougher route and trek to take amid cultural distractions and temptations that may veer one from the covenant and commitment that one endures with longsuffering, patience and all the other strengths and virtues married love and family life require.

When marriage gets little support these days for its value as the cornerstone foundation of family life, the "I do" the bride and groom promise reminds me of baptismal promises, and the countless times each one says "I do" daily for the common good of society, family, the school, neighborhood and workplace.

Each of us gives and gives, repeats the words, "I do," or "I will" daily.

I will do my homework. I will put in a day's work. I will cook dinner. I do promise to visit the neighbor alone at home.

In my mail Friday came an invitation to address the famine that is devastating Somalia and the entire Horn of Africa, it seems, while prices for wheat, corn, rice and others staple foods have soared.

I hesitated, and put the "I will" card on a pile with other mail to respond to this week.

But, repeatedly, I went back to the Bread for the World letter I opened yesterday.

YES, I want to help save the lives of of the hungry by joining Bread for the World (http://www.bread.org/). I checked the dollar amount box. A check was inserted into the return envelope.

Finally.

I did it. I do. I will help. All my waffling of back and forth finally got settled with a decision to do.

The fickleness of the human heart prevented me from giving an all-out YES to commit, to give, and to help. The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 21: 28-32 awaits a re-read.

Dear God:

In my waking hours the remainder of this
day I will give all I have, and I will commit
to move with enthusiasm in my words and
deeds.
At Mass tomorrow I will enthusiastically
put my entire being into it with song,
praise, listening to the Word of God, and
going forth a morphed, changed, and, a "new" man
for a change.
So help me God, I will.