Friday, September 25, 2009

Sanctification in Marriage

It is not through pointing out the faults of your spouse yourself that you bring him to sainthood. What good does nagging do? You cannot give him the grace he needs to overcome his faults. Such prideful thinking will only win you the same faults, as the Lord reminds you that it is only by His grace that you had avoided them.

You must bear with the faults of your spouse and offer up any pain or agitation to God to win him grace. The greater the love with which you bear his faults, the greater the grace you will win for him; in this you become God's tool to sanctify him. And is that not the deepest longing of your heart? For him to be united with God in heaven?

To think that you can better anyone yourself, through your own instruction, is pride beyond pride. Who are you to think that you can, of your own power, give him what he needs to grow in virtue? All you can do is nag and drag him down into despair or harden his heart. Sometimes after much love and winning of grace, God may whisper something in your ear which is for him to hear; God may give you the key to unlock the door of his heart that he may receive the graces God so desires to give him. But usually He will knock and gain entrance without you, in perfection, as only a true lover can. Your role is to invite Him when your spouse has lost his voice.

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