"Walk With Me" - The Beautiful Sacrament of Marriage

Every human person is a mystery of sorts. One can never completely know the mind and heart of the other. And yet, in the sweet sacrament of marriage, two people promise to explore the mystery of each other for life. That exploration yields an "us" - a partnership for life. The challenge of marriage is to turn the "I do" into "we can." The pathway a couple takes on their wedding day is paved with the promises they made to love and honor one another until death. It is an ordinary path to extraordinary union; a path bordered by an intricate web of relationships with one another, with children, with parents and extended family, with co-workers, friends and neighbors. It is a profoundly spiritual path that runs through the kitchen, the chapel, the bedroom, the garage, and into the larger human family. Marriage is not however just spiritual communion, it is also remembering to take out the trash.

Ultimately, those called to this remarkable vocation are charged with the responsibility of carrying their spouses to heaven - to "walk" with one another in this life to Jesus. Husbands and wives are called to make each other and their children holy.

I wrote "Walk With Me" in the spring of 2009 for a beautiful, young Catholic couple as a wedding gift. I believe the lyrics capture precisely what this vocation is all about in simple, uplifting terms. After spending a week in marriage preparation and counseling classes at the seminary, I felt called to post it. It has been an important reminder to me how precious and necessary holy marriages in the Church must be. May the Holy Family be our example of what this one flesh union is all about.

"Walk With Me"

written, performed, and recorded by Rich Mastrogiacomo

God the Father knew that it would be,

you and I from all eternity.

And my heart skipped a beat today with that kiss.

Together we will grow in holiness.

Chorus:

Walk with me to Jesus, take me to the good.

I want to see Him face to face,

and with you I know I could.
So take my hand, don't be afraid cause I know we'll be okay,

I give you my life, my heart, my soul and it all begins today.

You lean on me and I lean on you,

and together we'll be one.

We're gonna live this life the best we can,

and I promise we'll have fun.

And I remember the day that I met you

and how I felt inside,

now here we are, the journey begins,

so let's enjoy the ride!

Chorus

I love your laugh, and I love your smile,

and I love the way you smell.

I'll always try the best I can

not to make you mad and yell.

I love to gaze into those eyes,

o baby how it's true,

I love to think about the years,

growing old with you!

Chorus

I'll never forget the way I felt

when I said those words, "I do."

I'll never fall asleep at night

without saying, "I love you."

I can't believe it's official now,

I can call you mine-

on the eleventh day, of July,

in the year two thousand nine.

Chorus

Lets live in faith, lets live in hope,

lets live in selfless love.

Lets ask the Lord every day

to send down His Holy Dove.

I live for you, and you live for me,

there is no other.

So come with me to the Heart of Christ,

with the help of Blessed Mother.

Chorus

St. Joseph, Holy Mary, all angels and saints, pray for us...

Sheen Set To Music- The Women Who Do Not Fail

"These are the women who do not fail.   And it is interesting if you've ever noticed it, that in the great crises - the greatest crises that ever faced Our Blessed Lord, there were many instances of men failing.  But there was never a single instance of a woman failing."  

This remarkable observation by Bishop Sheen sets the tone for this piece.  Women, created to bring forth life, have a unique and irreplaceable role on this earth.  Whether naturally or supernaturally, every woman in the world is called to be a mother.  With this understanding deep rooted in their feminine Marian hearts, it will be impossible for a woman to fail.  Sheen puts forth that women who do not fail can fall into three categories: 1) women who do not fail in the social, political and economic order, 2) women who do not fail in the home, and 3) women who do not fail in the preservation of  spiritual value for civilization. 

After carefully analyzing these three types of women, Sheen brilliantly makes the parallel of the three women who stood at the foot of the Cross as Our Lord was being crucified.  Their names were the same.  And the name?  Mary.  There was Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Nazareth, the Blessed Mother.  Each of these women represent the three types of women who do not fail respectively.  As we embark on understanding why these types of women do not fail, let us realize first and foremost that it is always at the Cross where saints are made.