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4th Sunday of Advent When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream , he offered more than just reassurance about Mary's pregnancy. The angel quotes a prophecy from Isaiah: "they shall name him Emmanuel, which means 'God is with us.'" In doing so, the angel reveals something central to God's nature: presence . God doesn't simply watch from a distance; God is with  us. This same quality of being truly present lies at the heart of sacramental marriage, where two people covenant n

There were snow flurries outside as we drove across eastern Indiana to pick up our new-to-us car waiting for us in Plainfield. Dawna was napping and Mark was playing old jazz standards. As Dawna awoke she heard the clear, bluesy voice of Dinah Washington : I want a Sunday kind of love. A love to last past Saturday night I'd like to know it's more than love at first sight. I want a Sunday kind of love Dawna reached over and touched Mark's arm. "I think we have a Sunday kind of

When Mark's parents announced that they were separating after 25 years of marriage, Mark was saddened but not surprised. His dad worked full time and brought home a good paycheck, and did most of the yard work (or delegated it to his kids). Mark's mom worked part-time and did pretty much everything else. They had a working economic partnership but there was little intimacy, playfulness, or thoughtful conversation. Several years before Mark had asked his father why he came hom