In his letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul reminds us of what true love is. Every couple should review their relationship in light of what St. Paul proclaims.
What St. Paul declares true love to be is wholly contrary to the popular conception of love. In the popular mind, love is equated with overt acts of affection, romantic moments, and, yes, sexual expression. There is nothing wrong with any of these things and all can be elements of an authentic love. St. Paul, however, reminds that an authentic love is a love that finds its true expression in a firm and persevering commitment to another person in which neither person seeks an advantage over the other, but rather each strives to make a complete gift of self to the other. This is the challenge of an authentic love and it is important that we recover this understanding of an authentic love for the good of individuals and of our society.
Tragically, there are too many couples in our parish who have failed to be faithful to each other. I understand that many of our people face multiple challenges in their lives, but for any relationship to endure, and thrive, both individuals must be committed to the hard work that love requires. It means regular communication of both the good and the bad in your relationship. It means making time in busy lives for each other. It means asking forgiveness for harsh words or brusque actions. It means mutual sacrifice. It means that sexual relations are an expression of love and not simply a physical release of a strong desire. Ultimately what our couples need to remember is that God can supply the grace they need to commit themselves to the hard work that a true love requires but only they can do the work that is necessary.
The Christian community needs to remind the world of what true love is – an enduring commitment of two persons to each other that is rooted in mutual respect, mutual affection and a love that is exclusive and permanent. Our couples who live such a love are a tremendous gift to the world and an important model for our young people.

Fr. Mark Hallinan, S.J.