“[Woman] will be saved through motherhood” (1 Tim: 15). We cannot underestimate the significance of conjugal fertility, for the word of God clearly links it with salvation.
One of the names that Jewish custom gives to God is “Khafetz Khayim”—Desirer of Life. God is the source of life. He is its giver. He loves life. Every human life has infinite value for Him. The sacrament of marriage creates the perfect conditions for the transmission of life, so that a new person may come into the world in an atmosphere of love and mutual respect. But the birth of children has a deeper meaning, for it also has an affect on eternity: the gift of motherhood is intimately linked with our salvation.
Needless to say, we are talking about the salvation of the mother, who transmits the gift of life. The woman’s uniqueness consists precisely in the fact that, unlike a woman, no man is capable of giving birth to a child. Her entire organism is built in such a way as to make conception possible and give birth to a new human being. The entire hormonal system of a woman’s body ensures fertility in a cyclical manner. Her entire psychological make-up and emotional disposition enable her to perceive with care and love and satisfy the needs of the newborn child. It is therefore quite natural that motherhood should be in complete harmony with God’s plan of salvation.
But the woman’s birth of a child also contributes to the salvation of the husband. This follows from the other part of the above-cited scriptural verse: “provided [they] persevere in faith and love and holiness, with self control.” The married couple must persevere in faith and love in order to achieve their salvation and that of the children they have called to life.
It is no accident that in speaking of the gift of motherhood, the Bible should also speak of holiness. The married couple sanctify each other by engaging, among other things, in sexual relations, but only on the condition that they fully accept the gift of fertility. In thwarting the possibility of parenthood by contraceptive means or (God forbid!) by even admitting thoughts of abortion, the couple close themselves off from holiness and block their own path to salvation. Such is God’s saving plan—sanctification by way of parenthood.
God makes married couples his partners by enabling them to participate in the work of creation—precisely through having children. In transmitting life, they in turn give glory to God. God invites married couples in a special way to discover His loving plan for themselves and to receive in a spirit of responsibility, generosity, and cheerful hope all the children that God is pleased to give them. It is not only they, but also God, the Lord of life, who decides on the number of children that will be brought into the world. Thus the importance of a prayerful and sacramental life cannot be overstated. Through prayer and the sacraments the couple open themselves to the grace of the Holy Spirit, who helps them to manage their human sexuality in accordance with God’s plan. The Holy Spirit enables them to build a family that is open to life and capable of withstanding the numerous and complex challenges of our time. “Today especially we need their witness,” states Our Holy Father, Benedict XVI. “We need families who will not allow themselves to be seduced by contemporary cultural trends inspired by hedonism and relativism; who, above all, are ready generously to carry out their mission in the Church and society.” Married couples are to be missionaries of love and life not only in their mutual service to each other and their raising of children, but also in being a sign of God’s love in the world.
God fully expects us to be responsible and prudent in using the gift of our fertility. Prudence and responsibility require knowledge and skill in the use of the gifts we have been given. The encyclical Humanae vitae reminds us: “Responsible parenthood is exercised by those who prudently and generously decide to have more children, and by those who, for serious reasons and with due respect to moral precepts, decide not to have additional children for either a certain or an indefinite period of time” (HV, 10).
Today no one can complain of a lack of information about natural methods of spacing births. In our country almost every parish runs a free counseling service, which is ready to impart basic information on the subject and, if necessary, to refer couples to specialists. The only thing we can complain of is our own laziness and naive trust in the media, which promote contraception as “an easy way of limiting fertility” and abortion as “the right of a woman to decide for herself. “ But the media have no interest in our well-being. They are an instrument by which to lead us into error and make money on us. God, on the other hand, did not spare His own Son for our salvation. He gives us many ways of achieving salvation. One of these is mutual sanctification through marital relations that are open to life.
Jesus invites all couples wishing to deepen their understanding of married life to join the Movement of Pure Hearts for Married Couples (MPHMC) and to participate in its daily program of living by the grace of the sacrament of marriage. To do this, discuss the matter among yourselves and renounce all use of artificial contraception and other worldly notions aimed at destroying marital unity. Reject sin, make a sacramental confession and, after receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, say the Prayer of Consecration together:
Lord Jesus, we consecrate our marriage to you: our minds, our memories, our bodies, and souls. Teach us to love each other and our children with the love that flows from Your Merciful Heart. Lord Jesus Christ, grant us
a pure heart modeled upon yours, that together we might perfect a love that is wise, generous, faithful, and free from self-interest, a love that steadfastly upholds your laws and commandments. May daily family prayer, the rosary, the chaplet of divine mercy, Holy Mass, and frequent reception of the Eucharist assist us in this endeavor. May we confess at once every serious sin through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Grant that we may continually draw on the graces, which you make available to us through the Sacrament of Marriage.
Lord Jesus, be master of our hearts. Teach us to control our sexual desires and feelings that our love for each other and our children may not be subject to our moods and emotional states. Rather, may our love be a continual expression of our care and solicitude for each other. Grant us the gift of pure conjugal love that we may give of ourselves generously. Cleanse our love of all selfishness that we may always forgive and pray for each other without nursing grudges. To remain pure in heart, we vow never to read, buy, or look at pornographic materials. We pledge never to use contraceptives and always to be ready to accept every child that God may send us. Lord, help us to avoid everything that ensnares, enslaves, or incites to evil.
Mary, our Mother, guide us in our journey of faith. Lead us to the very Source of Love—to Jesus, that we may trust and believe in Him alone. After the example of Blessed John Paul II, we entrust ourselves to you: Totus Tuus, Mary! To your Immaculate Heart we confide ourselves totally, all that we are, every step we take, and every minute of our lives. Amen.”
Please send us your address, dates of birth, the date of your marriage, and the date you decided to join our community. We in turn will inscribe your names in The Book of Pure Hearts and send you our special blessing. Christ’s blessings to you all.
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