Back in 2014, Pope Francis shared marriage advice to over 10,000 couples who were engaged to be married. He shared three tips for a successful marriage to those couples, and now we're sharing his advice to you!
3 Tips for a successful marriage
While Pope Francis doesn't have any direct experience when it comes to marriage, he definitely has seen his fair share of couples who sometimes struggle with problems in their marriage.
That's why when it comes to marriage advice, we can assume that Pope Francis really does know what he's talking about.
So, without further ado, here are three important tips for a successful marriage:
1. Always ask permission
Pope Francis shares, "Please – May I? We must learn to ask: May I do this? Would you like that we do this? We take this initiative, and that we bring up our children like this. Would you like to go out tonight? …In short, to ask for agreement is to enter the lives of others with courtesy. But keep this in mind: to be able to enter into the lives of others with courtesy. It is not easy, it is not easy. Sometimes instead, the manners can be a bit heavy, like hiking boots!"
He adds that being courteous is one of the properties of God, and that nowadays, in a world that's full of violence and arrogance, being courteous at home can really make a difference.
2. Give thanks
"It seems easy to say the word, but we know that is not always so … But it’s important! We teach it to the children, but then we forget it ourselves! Gratitude is an important quality. An old woman once said to me in Buenos Aires: ‘Gratitude is a flower that grows in the noble land.’ Nobility of the soul is necessary to grow this flower," Pope Francis shares.
He goes on, "In your relationship, and then tomorrow in married life, it is important to keep alive the awareness that the other person is a gift of God, and for the gifts of God to say thank you!"
Indeed, it's important to always be thankful to your spouse. Know that they're God's gift to you, and appreciate your spouse.
3. Ask for forgiveness
Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of saying sorry for couples. He shares, "In life we make so many errors, many mistakes… We learn to recognize our mistakes and apologize. ‘Sorry if I raised my voice today,’ ‘I’m sorry if I went without saying goodbye,’ ‘I’m sorry if I’m late,’ ‘If I have been so unresponsive this week,’ ‘If I talked too much without ever listening,’ ‘Excuse me, I forgot,’ ‘I was angry and I’m sorry I’ve taken it out on you...’ This is how a Christian family grows."
Pope Francis added that marriage is something that couples should work on everyday. It isn't something that can be simply left to stagnate. Working on your marriage everyday can help the both of you grow and learn more about each other.
At the end of the day, the most important thing is to trust God and know that He's always watching you and guiding your marriage. That's really what should be at the core of your marriage.
Source: francismary.org
Photo: Pixabay
READ: 5 top reasons why marriages fail