Catechism of the Catholic Church - Section 1647

(1647) The deepest reason is found in the fidelity of God to his covenant, in that of Christ to his Church. Through the sacrament of Matrimony, the spouses are enabled to represent this fidelity and witness to it. Through the sacrament, the indissolubility of marriage receives a new and deeper meaning.”

Through our own marital fidelity to our spouse, we have the ability of testifying to our belief in God’s fidelity and His Covenant of love with us. Our sacramental marriage is a microcosm of the heavenly marriage between Christ and His bride, the Church. As Christ is faithful to us throughout history, on a grand scale, so we too are called to be faithful in our own marital commitment with our earthly spouse.

In spite of what the world around us is teaching about love, our willingness to be faithful, through sacramental graces, in good times and bad, sickness and health, times of wealth and times of poverty, until death, can be a true witness of Christ and His love for us to those who are searching. We bear witness to those around us that, “through Christ, all things are possible.” It is also an enormous witness to our children when they see us truly living out our fidelity each day, especially when we are faced with extremely difficult moments when our marriage has been severely broken.

God never gives up on us or our marriage. When we choose to stay faithful in our marriage and work to strengthen and enliven it every day, through God’s grace, we bear witness to each other, to our children and to the world that God is real and is the source of all love. It is in this resolve to ensure the indissolubility of our marriage that our love for each other “receives a new and deeper meaning.” 

ACTION STEP: This week, discuss with your spouse new ways you can enliven your marital experience and show marital joy to those around you.