The Holy Apostle Aquila
1 Corinthians 6:20-7:12; Matthew 14:1-13
Read 1 Corinthians 6:20-7:12
As I think back on the various pieces of marriage advice my wife and I received on our wedding day, a number of them quickly come to mind: “Love, love, love, never counting the cost” and “Never let the sun set on your anger” are two that have made a great and positive impression on our married life. One that hasn’t is the often-used quip “happy wife, happy life.” It’s used far too often and supports a skewed view of married life.
St. Paul, although celibate, presents to us a comprehensive view of marriage, one that understands and embraces the mutuality and equality of the married state. In married life, one no longer belongs to themselves or cares for their own body. Rather, the husband and wife offer themselves as a gift to each other, and in doing so, fully belong to each other. In all things, the husband and wife are not responsible for their own lives but for each other’s and everything that responsibility entails.
Let’s replace “happy wife, happy life” with “happy spouse, happy house” to emphasize the mutuality and equality of marriage as emphasized by St. Paul.