Grace in Marriage

[KCT]

My husband and I were discussing the grace of God in marriage. My opinion is that the grace of God can keep a couple together, if their goal is to stay together. They may have problems, but God’s grace is strong enough to overcome obstacles. (if they want to overcome them)

He believes that if a couple is that far gone (i.e. close to divorce), they are out of tune with God and probably are not open to God’s grace. If they were open to God’s grace they would see their bad behavior and either stop or get help.

I also think that one member of the couple can be the one asking for grace and God will give it. What say you? —KCT

 

[Conciliar]

Hi KCT,

My thought… God’s grace plus our cooperation can keep a couple together (true to their vocation) but minus our cooperation, e.g. couples intent on destruction, won’t remain together simply by grace.

CCC 2021 Grace is the help God gives us to respond to our vocation of becoming his adopted sons. It introduces us into the intimacy of the Trinitarian life.

2022 The divine initiative in the work of grace precedes, prepares, and elicits the free response of man. Grace responds to the deepest yearnings of human freedom, calls freedom to cooperate with it, and perfects freedom.

 

[proudnifi]

I agree that one of the parties can ask for and receive God’s grace - but a marriage takes two people to be successful. If the other party isn’t cooperating/insists on civil divorce, it won’t be successful.

 

[PhilipCal]

I’m a firm believer that grace is a vital component in any marriage. Both my wife and I pray for it daily. I grew up in the era of Father Payton’s Family Rosary Hour. The motto was “The Family that Prays together, stays together”. Your family may be just the two of you. That’s fine. I suggest using the Holy Family as your guide and source for “doing it right”. No better example exists, at least in my mind.