👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽 The Life of a Husband and Wife: A Divine Union in Love and Harmony #Matrimony
Beloved brethren in Christ, those who seek the wisdom of the Church and the guidance of the Holy Scriptures, let us incline our hearts toward the sacred mystery of marriage, which is established by the hand of God Himself. For as the Lord, in His boundless love, formed Eve from Adam’s side, so too does He unite man and woman in a bond that is holy, immutable, and full of grace.
One Mind, One Heart, One Will
The life of a husband and wife is not one of discord but of unity. They are called to live with one mind, one heart, and a common will. Their steps must be guided by mutual counsel, and their hearts must beat in harmony, reflecting the perfect union found in Christ and His Church. As the Apostle teaches, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church” (Ephesians 5:22-23). And likewise, “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25).
This is not a submission of servitude, nor a love that seeks dominion, but a harmony wherein each gives of themselves fully to the other. The wife’s obedience is one of trust and love, just as the Church submits to Christ, and the husband’s love is sacrificial, just as Christ laid down His life for His people.
A Covenant of Mutual Respect and Sacrifice
Marriage is a covenant wherein there is neither superiority nor inferiority, but a sacred bond where both husband and wife serve one another. The husband does not rule as a tyrant, nor does the wife exist as a subject, but rather, they are yoked together in Christ, bearing one another’s burdens with humility and grace. “A husband should give up his body for his wife, and a wife for her husband, to the point of suffering.” This is love: not in word only, but in deed and in truth.
Their love is to be an example to their children, a radiant light that teaches by action more than by words. They must walk in righteousness, both within their home and beyond its walls, so that their offspring may see the beauty of Christian life and follow in their footsteps.
The Divine Institution of Marriage
Marriage is not a mere human agreement but a divine institution. It is pure and undefiled, established from the very beginning by God Himself, who said, “It is not good for man to be alone; let us make for him a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). Thus, He created one man for one woman, and one woman for one man, binding them together in a union that is blessed and sanctified. To transgress this divine order by introducing another spouse is to defile the sanctity of marriage and to sin against God’s holy design.
On the day of their marriage, the husband and wife stand before God and swear an oath that neither sickness nor hardship, neither poverty nor affliction, shall separate them. Their love must not be fickle nor their commitment conditional, for “what God has joined together, let no man separate” (Mark 10:9). If they hold steadfast to this vow, their household will be built upon a firm foundation, unshaken by the tempests of life.
The Virtue of Love: The Foundation of a Lasting Marriage
A marriage rooted in Christ does not falter at every trial, nor does it crumble under the weight of worldly burdens. Rather, it is fortified by the love that St. Paul describes: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
Continues 👇🏽