Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Catechism in a Year podcast,

where we encounter God's plan of sheer goodness for us, revealed in scripture, and passed down

through the tradition of the Catholic faith. The Catechism in a year is brought to you by ascension.

In 365 days, we'll read through the Catechism of the Catholic Church discovering our identity and God's family. As we journeyed together toward our heavenly home, this is day 227, 227, 227 reading paragraphs 1659 to 1666. It is Nugget today. As always, I'm using the Ascension edition of the Catechism, which includes a foundations of faith approach, but you can follow along with any recent version of the catechism of the Catholic Church. You can also download your own catechism in your reading plan by visiting ascenturembergess.com slash CIY. You can also click follow or subscribe in your podcast app for daily updates and daily notifications. Today is day 227. We are reading the last section on holy matrimony. We covered almost, well, I was going to say almost all the sacraments. There are no secret sacraments. These are the seven that we're talking about. These are the seven that exist, unless you want to call, you know, the church is the universal sacrament of salvation. But the seven sacraments, this is the last one. And these are the last notes on that note tomorrow. And the next day, we have the last two

pieces, the last two beats. And what those two beats are, they're going to be about sacramentals, right? And so there are sacramentals in popular piety. And then the next day, we're talking about Christian funerals. And so that's coming up with kind of a lot of topics, but a lot of good content, which is amazing. Today is N Nugget Day where we get to recover what is it that we learned about the sacrament of holy matrimony. And so as we launch into today, let's call upon the Lord like we do every single day as we begin every single thing that we do. And we pray, Father in heaven, we give you praise and glory. In the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we ask you, please accept us. Receive us in the name of your son, Jesus. By the power of your Holy Spirit, Lord God, help us to listen to your voice, especially in our brokenness. In this moment, Lord God, in our struggle, and especially if we're pressing play on a moment right now. Father, where we're just

like, I'm so far from you. I'm so far from you right now. I'm so far from living this life that

you've called me to live. I'm so far from being faithful. The God, meet us in this moment. Be with us

in this moment. Meet us in our brokenness and help us to be unafraid to approach you. We have great fear of the Lord,

yes, but let us not be afraid. And so we come before you invoking the name of your son, Jesus Christ,

and claiming the promise of your Holy Spirit that helps us and enables us, gives us the power and the

ability to pray. Be with us this day and every day.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

amen. This is Day 227. We're reading the Nuggets 1659 to 1666.

In brief, St. Paul said, husbands,, love your wives, as Christ loved the church.

This is a great mystery, and I mean it in reference to Christ and the church.

The marriage covenant, by which a man and a woman, form with each other, an intimate communion of life and love,

has been founded and endowed with its own special laws by the creator.

By its very nature, it is ordered to the good of the couple, as well as to the generation and

education of children. Christ the Lord raised marriage between the baptized to the dignity of a

sacrament. The sacrament of matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the church.

It gives spouses the grace to love each other with the love with which Christ has loved

his church.

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