A holy husband and wife

When we begin our marriages as Catholics, we always do so in a Catholic Church, under the guidance of a Catholic priest or deacon, who administers the sacrament of matrimony before the witnesses gathered there. We have also engaged in all the preparation required for a successful wedding day. But primarily, our focus must be on the union we are creating in the eyes of God. Maintaining that focus is not always easy, given the turbulent nature of our time. As married couples, we have children to raise, bills to pay, work to fulfill, a house to keep up, and our own health and well-being to attend to so that we can continue to honor these commitments. Holiness with our spouse can often fade in importance when compared to these other obligations and responsibilities. The question is often asked, “When do we have time to honor the primary commitment to our marriage, which we thought would remain the focus of our life together, regardless of how busy we may become?”

St. John Paul II reminded us of the beautiful union of St. Anne and St. Joachim, parents of the Virgin Mary, when he stated they were “members of the people which rose from the faith of Abraham, of that people formed by Moses, which Exodus describes as thirsting to know God’s face.” The pontiff continued by reminding us that this must be the mark of our prayer and the contemplation for which our soul yearns: to thirst to know God’s face.

When we look into the face of our spouse, we must remember we are both disciples of Christ. Therefore, St. John Paul II reminded us, we must be “channels of God’s salvific action, by being ceaselessly purified, enlightened and comforted by frequently approaching the God of tenderness and piety.”

When we go to God together as a couple, attending Mass, spending time in the adoration chapel, saying the rosary, or being together at home, we can help one another grow in holiness, and we can encourage one another as gifts given to each other by God. Just