Kat and Jameson

We had been talking about the BIG day for over a year— from the most general information down to the most detailed emotional dilemma that you had been juggling. I had been trying to beef up your optimism, even though I knew things were easier said than done in your situation. I knew it was no piece of cake choosing and not choosing people or their expectations, something that I hoped everyone around you could understand. I'm not certain whether I was able to help. But one thing I can assure you— I was really looking forward to see you in your wedding dress as you meet your groom in his handsome suit. But due to a sudden loss in our family, I very much needed to back out, and just be there for them. I'm sorry I missed your vow.

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Jameson, yung promise mo ha?

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The following is an excerpt from the article Resolutions written by Father James B. Reuter, and published by The Philippine Star on the day before your wedding.

How do you keep a marriage together, from this day forward; for richer, for poorer; for better, for worse; in sickness and in health; until death do us part?
...

1. Let not the sun go down on your anger.

This is wise, with the wisdom of God. It is not easy to make up with words, especially when you are emotionally upset. I think that this means: the husband should make a great resolution that for the rest of his life, he will always kiss his wife good-night.

And the resolution of the wife must be: she will never turn away.

2. When husband and wife quarrel, as soon as the man can talk, he should say: “I’m sorry!”

The man sometimes protests: “But it is all her faults!”. . . When a man says “I’m sorry”, he is not withdrawing the truth of anything that he has said: “He only means: “I am sorry that I hurt you!. . .I am sorry that we are quarreling!. . I am sorry that you are crying!”. . . And this is true! .. . After he says: “I’m sorry”, the wife can say, if she believes this: “It was all my fault!” But the man should say: “I’m sorry!”

If the man does not kiss his wife goodnight, or if he does not say: “I’m sorry!”, then the wife should kiss her husband, the wife should say: “I’m sorry”. But — if this happens—it means that the girl is the strong one, and the boy is a weakling. She is the man, and he is the woman.

3. Pray together.

Father Patrick Peyton was saying, for the last 60 years: “The family that prays together, stays together”, and this is true!

4. Weekly Mass and Communion, together.

The best prayer is the Mass.

When you receive Communion it is the Body of God become part of you. It is the Blood of God running through your veins. By this you become one with God, and one with each other.

5. One bank account.

Whatever unites husband and wife is good. . . Whatever divides them is bad. . . And the most divisive force in all this world is money.

They need not have one physical bank account. They could have varied placements. But the husband should not have any money that the wife does not know about. And the wife should not have any funds that the husband does not know about. They should own everything together.

If you can not trust the one you love with money, you should never have married. Marriage must be a total investment! All that you have, and all that you are!

6. Never alone, with any other partner.

When the man marries, on his wedding day, he should make a great resolution that he will never go out alone with any woman, except his wife.

When a woman marries, on her wedding day, she should make a great resolution that she will never go out alone with any man, except her husband.

*****

There. =)
Happy new life, Kati & Jamesen!