www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Prayer Prayers for Relationship

Hey y'all, I could really use some prayers for my relationship. We've been dating for about a year now, and we are both very devout. However, in the last month to two months, I've felt a pull towards Eastern Catholicism in my prayer. I started going to Divne Liturgy at a Ruthenian rite Church nearby, and I've been to 3 so far, and have loved every single one of them. My girlfriend, however, has not felt this movement, and has grown estranged and almost concerned that I've been looking into the Byzantine Rite so much. Last week I brought her to her first Divine Liturgy, hoping and praying that she would see the same things that I see in the beauty of the Divine Liturgy. Instead, she hated it, said that she didn't see God there, and asked for me to drop her off at a Roman Catholic parish near my house so that she could feel like she went to a real mass.

It broke my heart, and for the first time in our relationship I felt, and she later agreed, like God was starting to call us in two separate directions and not together. I was going on a trip for my internship this week, so we decided to take some space. While here, I attended another Divine Liturgy, and felt strengthened and revitalized to go back to her with new insights and things to discuss, and at least some new glimmer of hope. Then, she texted me this morning after not responding to me last night, asking me to not talk to her and give her space, and that she didn't want to talk to me.

So prayers for us to either be mended, or for us to bear the cross of suffering of ending the relationship well, would be much appreciated. Thank you.

I think there's something deeper than taste of liturgy there. I feel like she may have been using that for a pretext.
And the idea that it's not a "real" Mass is not a Catholic attitude. It's THAT attitude that prevents the schism from ending. If that is a real reason, explain to her the story of Bishop Ireland, forced Latinizations, and communist persecution. I'm not even an Eastern Catholic (yet, but I might be one day), and that felt really hurtful to me.
FYI, Pope Francis (literally, the POPE), has his own experience with Eastern Catholicism, https://catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bbergj.html
The Church breathes with BOTH lungs.
And, of course, y'all have my prayers.

Christ is in our midst!!

Bryce,

Welcome to the forum.

Bob
Moderator

Just saw this while perusing, I'm sure you're in a different place now, I pray that it worked out the way God willed it and worked out well for you also. If you're back to square one, I met my wife on a Christian dating site [be-salt.com] that let me match based on denomination and specific values, so might be worth a try.

I have similar prayer request. A couple of months ago my best friend left me and now I am trying to start my life over, struggling against thoughts of despondency and experiencing emptiness.

Also I would like make a prayer myself for those of us who are lonely:
Dear Lord God, have mercy on us and hear our prayer for all of us who are lonely. Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves before You. We would like to talk with You face to Face, but we are fallen human beings and it is not granted to us to talk with You and be in communion with You like our ancestors Adam and Eve were before the primordial fall. Having no spouse and no friends we suffer from terrible loneliness, struggling to find clear meaning and purpose of our lives. But we firmly believe that it is Your will for us to live until You decide for us to depart from this earthly life. We obey You and continue to serve You as good as we can. Please lead us to true happiness of knowing You and of being in close, good relationship with You. Instruct us and guide us in doing Your holy will, may we fulfill all Your expectations from us. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name, amen.

Chrsit is in our midst!!

Daniel Hoseiny,

I am approving your post but deleting the link to your story. Parts of it are about another person and are inappropriate to be linked here.

Bob
Moderator

Christ is in our midst!!

Bryce,

The reaction of your girlfriend is a warning to you to take this relationship a bit slower. Sometimes people become set in their religious expectations and eithre cannot or will not open themselves to something new. Look hard down the road to imagine what marriage will be like if you are on two different pages. What you describe can develop into the problem people have in marriages where one spouse is not Catholic. Very often the spouses work against each other, whether overtly or be indifference. The children pick this up and it erodes their spiritual growth.

This is not about the ritual, but about saving our souls. A couple needs to be on the same page if they are to mutually sanctify each other and build each other up as they wlk to the Kingdom. I know of couples that find themselves destroying each other spiritually over issues like this. I say this out of love and concern for both of your immmortal souls.

Regardless of the time you've spent together, this may not be the path for you or your beloved.

Bob