Spirituality may be the hardest to share, but it is something worth pursuing with our spouse. “We share the views on all subjects concerning our life, except our faith,” says Joan and Paul, who have been happily married for 16 years. As with many other Christian couples, each of them has a personal relationship with God. But Joan and Paul wish to go even further and share this deeply intimate aspect of their lives with each other to reinforce their marital vows and conjugal bond.
The adventure of shared faith
Few spouses strive for such intimacy. To achieve it, their relationship must be strong and share common views, and values: trust each other and desire to grow together in faith. However, a number of issues may discourage them from setting off on this journey: the fear of doing more than they can, sharing their doubts and weaknesses with each other or showing their vulnerability. But the sins we secretly confess before the Lord need not be exposed; He will visit each of our hearts and heal them.
There is more to each of us than our weaknesses and wickedness. There is also the long spiritual journey, enlightened and enriched by the reading of the Holy Scriptures, the hopes, the joy and the experiences that have made us grow. Revealing what God has taught us and the role He plays in our life allows our beloved to discover the treasures of our heart.
According to the blessing the priest gave us on our wedding day, we became man and wife because we were “married in the presence of the Lord.” So, the best way to find Christ and show our love to Him is through our love for each other. What St. John the Evangelist said about loving God (John 4:12) is even more pertinent for a Christian couple: “No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.”
It’s the only way that has been given to us to love God, in words and deed. This is how our love for God “is made complete” (John 4:17).
Marie-Noël Florant
Read more:
4 Ways intimacy as a Catholic couple is better
Read more:
How to rebuild intimacy in a marriage — even during dry spells
