Why do some couples get along well even though they aren’t united by the Sacrament and aren’t Christians? Today, Jesus speaks to us about our response to the gift of His Grace. He makes it rain on the just and the unjust alike, but if He gives it to us, it is so we can illuminate the world as His witnesses.
I may have received much and, as a result, live a comfortable life based on these blessings. However, at the end of my days, the grace I was given will be taken from me, along with the gifts I believed I possessed. I thought I was good and helpful, but those gifts didn’t belong to me; they were meant to be managed in the name of the Lord. If I embrace grace and become a light for the world in His name, showing others what God has done for me without any merit of my own, I will receive fullness—pressed down, shaken together, and running over…
Thank You, Lord, for the gift of the Sacrament of my Marriage.

Applied to Married Life:

James: I see that some non-Christian marriages seem to be better than those that identify as Christian. How do you explain that?
Mentor Couple: It can be explained by the fact that God pours His grace upon everyone and gives gifts to all, though not equally. It’s very possible for a non-Christian couple to receive more gifts than a Christian couple. The key question is how each of us responds to the gifts we’ve received. That couple may have a strong bond, but they don’t grow as God expects because they don’t believe in Him, don’t rely on Him, and don’t glorify His name. Instead, they depend on their own strength, believing they own everything they’ve received.
On the other hand, if a Christian couple glorifies God with their gifts (even if they’re fewer in number) and strives to nurture those gifts as a response to God’s immense love, reflecting that love to those around them, then they are truly glorifying God with their lives. It’s like having a very gifted child who is ungrateful and ignores you versus one who may be less talented but deeply appreciates your efforts and dedication, speaking highly of you and being affectionate. Which of the two do you think illuminates the world more?
James: Clearly, the second one.
Mentor Couple: Then let’s do the same with the gift of our marriage. Let’s always give glory to God!

Mother,

What matters more than the outcomes of our actions is the love with which we do them. The world seeks results, while the Lord asks us to love one another. Mother, may we be spouses who reflect the Grace of the Sacrament we have received. Amen.