Category: Marriage and Family

Jesus elevated marriage to a sacrament. A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give sanctifying grace. Therefore, in holy matrimony, husband and wife receive the grace appropriate to that state in life. Primarily this grace will help them in sanctifying each other and the children God sends them. It will give them strength to keep the bond of matrimony in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, in riches or poverty, in good times and bad, until death parts them.

In a good marriage the spouses must be open to life, which means that they should bring forth the fruit of children, and do nothing to frustrate conception. Herein lies another great grace that ordinarily comes with matrimony, namely that God will send a couple as many children as they can properly raise, if they cooperate with Him. It takes a strong act of Faith to firmly believe this in this materialistic age, in which economics trumps trust in the Creator.

Pope John Paul II often referred to the family as a “domestic church.” This is but another way of interpreting what Saint Paul meant when he was inspired to write these tremendous words to the Ephesians: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church, and delivered himself up for it” (5:25).

There is only one perfect family, the Holy Family of Nazareth. Meditating on the peace, charity, and industriousness, that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph exemplified in their domestic life will help the families of poor sinners who are trying against all odds to counter the evil influences of a godless society. When the hearth has been chilled by selfishness and technological idols, this sad state will by necessity be reflected in a cold and ruthless civic disorder.