February 8, 2026
Each year, on the second Sunday of February, the Church celebrates World Marriage Day — a time to give thanks for the vocation of marriage and the witness that married couples offer to the Church and the world.
If you look toward the sanctuary, to the right of the sacristy as you face the altar, you will see a beautiful painting that often goes unnoticed. It depicts the beauty and glory of married life — not as something ordinary or merely practical, but as something sacred. The image reminds us that marriage is more than a legal bond or social arrangement. It is a vocation, a calling, and a reflection of God’s faithful love.
Saint Paul reminds us of this when he writes: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25).
Marriage is rooted in self-giving love — a love that chooses faithfulness, sacrifice, forgiveness, and perseverance. Marriage is lived not in perfection, but in commitment. Day by day, husband and wife are called to love one another as Christ loves: patiently, generously, and faithfully. When marriage is rooted in God, it becomes a source of grace not only for the couple, but for families, the Church, and the wider community.
On this World Marriage Day, we give thanks for all married couples — those newly married, those who have shared many years together, and those who carry the joys and challenges of marriage with quiet courage. May the Lord bless all married couples. May He strengthen their love, deepen their commitment, and fill their homes with peace, joy, and hope.
I remember you at Mass.
