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Formation program for the Eighth Centenary of St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-2007)
Month 3. The Spirituality of Marriage as a Secular State of Life It is our vocation in our secular state to contribute to the salvation and renewal of the world in Christ. Those of us who are married do this through our love for one another. The love of husband and wife, as St. Paul tells us, is a sign of Christ's love for His Church. When we give ourselves to our spouses in that self-sacrificing love modelled for us by Christ in His love for his Church, Christ's love becomes visible to the world through us. This self-sacrificing love is also visible in the children to whom we give and sacrifice ourselves. We can do this only if God is already the center of our lives. Elizabeth and Ludwig made Christ visible through their marriage because He was the center of their lives. They constantly "strengthened and encouraged each other in the praise and service of God." They modelled Christ's love when they sacrificed for each other. Ludwig often gave up his time with Elizabeth while she prayed at night; her work for the poor and for justice often caused him difficulties and even brought him criticism, but he accepted these in the spirit of sacrifice. Elizabeth sacrificed her desire to be with her husband when he had to travel constantly, and even accepted the sacrifice of his life on the Crusade. This is why their love bore such good fruit, not only in their children but in the example of self-sacrificing love they gave others. Spiritual Reflection Is love of God the center of my married life? How can I show Christ's self-sacrificing love to my spouse? Will others be able to see Christ's love in my marriage? Scripture So (also) husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. "For this reason a man shall leave (his) father and (his) mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church. (Eph. 5: 29-32). This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. (Jn 15:13-14). From the Secular Franciscan Rule "In their family they should cultivate the Franciscan spirit of peace, fidelity, and respect for life, striving to make of it a sign of a world already renewed in Christ. By living the grace of matrimony, husbands and wives in particular should bear witness in the world to the love of Christ for his Church." (Rule 2:17)
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