Marriage occupies a central place in Christian life. More than a human commitment, it is a sacrament, a visible sign of God's grace that sustains, strengthens, and sanctifies the union between man and woman. In the teachings of Blessed Father Eustace, this reality appears with depth and clarity, revealing the greatness and responsibility of this vocation.

For the Blessed, marriage is not just an important step in life, but a decision that directly impacts the happiness of the spouses, both in this life and in eternity. By uniting before the altar, the bride and groom not only make a commitment to each other, but also receive a special grace from God, capable of sustaining and sanctifying this union throughout their lives.

Father Eustáquio emphasizes that this union only finds its true meaning when lived in the light of faith and the Church. It is the sacrament that makes married life legitimate, holy, and lasting, inserting it into God's plan. Outside of this dimension, the union loses its spiritual foundation and distances itself from the Christian ideal.

Read the full text of Blessed Father Eustace's account of marriage:

Marriage

Before the altar and the minister of Our Lord, you are about to take the most important step of your life, upon which your happiness depends, both on earth and in heaven. You are about to enter into an intimate union, whose bonds can only be broken by the death of one of you. You are about to receive the grace of the sacrament of matrimony, the unique means to sanctify the union of a man and a woman. Every union that is not sanctified by this divine grace, before the Catholic conscience, before the Church, and before God, will be illicit, illegitimate, condemned, and scandalous.

Upon entering into matrimony, the spouses also undertake duties common to both and duties particular to each. Saint Paul says that the husband should love his wife as Jesus Christ loved his Church and that the wife should love her husband as the Church loved Jesus Christ. Now, we all know what Jesus' love for the Church was and the Church's love for Jesus: sincere, pure, and holy love.

This is how you should love one another: with sincere love; with a love that has a firm foundation and whose structure never wavers; a love that everyone admires because of its solidity. With pure love: a love that comes from God and returns to God. With holy love: a love that loves for God, with God, and in God; a love that never fades, for the source that nourishes holy love is Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is always the same—today, tomorrow, and for all eternity.

And just as I most desire, you will be good spouses, truly happy in this life and, after many years, eternally happy in heaven as well.