When you think about the Eucharist, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For me, it is sacrificial love.
God’s love for us is so great that He sacrificed His Son so that we might be redeemed. Jesus suffered immense pain and humiliation out of love for us. When I speak to engaged couples as they prepare for married life, I make a connection between the sacrificial love of God and the sacrificial love of spouses.
Married couples are called to sacrifice for their families in many ways. One way they are called to sacrifice and be different from the culture is through the use of Natural Family Planning (NFP). By using NFP, couples aren’t only saying they are open to life, they are also saying they are willing to sacrifice their own pleasure and put the good of their spouse and family first.
One of the dangers facing married couples using contraception is objectification. When there is no need for sacrifice or self-mastery, couples might use each other as objects of pleasure. This is a distortion of the beauty of marriage.
Spouses are called to die to themselves, to put the good of their spouse first. NFP enhances the beauty of marriage by strengthening the bonds and helping couples avoid the temptation to objectify the other.
Natural Family Planning can be a beautiful experience, but it is also a sacrifice. There will be times that it is difficult, and the temptation to quit will grow. But continue to sacrifice, to ask for God’s grace to help you, because having a healthy and holy marriage is worth it!
If you aren’t using NFP in your marriage, consider making the change. It is an opportunity to enrich your marriage and draw closer to each other and to Christ.