July 4th.   Portia told her friend, “In the Bible study group Marcia explained the book of the prophet Hosea to us.  She said that God was using the image of marriage and relating it to the prophet’s life story.  Some of it made me quite nostalgic, it was so  romantic. But then it came out that the woman became a harlot, she was unfaithful to her husband, but he didn’t reject her.  That isn’t very often what happens is it?  Not in the case of my daughter. Her behaviour caused the family to break up and I ended up caring for the grandchildren for quite a while.  I hoped and prayed  all along that she would change her ways.   

Scripture:   The Lord says, “I will bring her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth.  Hosea 2:14-20. Pope Francis:   Marital love is not defended primarily by presenting indissolubility as a duty or be repeating doctrine but by helping it to grow ever stronger. A love that fails to grow is at risk.  Growth can only occur if we respond to God’s grace through constant acts of love and kindness that become more frequent, intense, generous, tender and cheerful. AL 134