As I continue to tell y'all about my favorite Saints we are gonna look at another two saints. These two are really special though, they are the first married couple to be canonized together. Their canonization is a testament to the love that drew them higher. Before they married both Louis and Zelie had a desire to enter religious life, but God had different plans for these two. instead, they met and fell in love. They were then married and began a life of love and faith.
The Martins lived by the motto "serve God first," in living this out they found they could always live with love no matter the circumstances. This foundation of faith in their marriage gave them the strength they needed to face the many challenges of married life. In service to God Louis and Zelie found an outpouring of love that washed over their 5 daughters. In living faith-filled lives they were able to spark a deep faith in the hearts of their children.
The story of the Martins is so simple yet so beautiful. They are a testament to the sanctity of marriage. By their love, they helped each other gain eternal life, and fostered the faith of 5 daughters, with one of them also being canonized (their youngest St. Theresa the little flower). These two achievements are at the heart of all Christian marriages. Husbands and wives are called to help the other grow in holiness and to educate their children in the faith, so when looking at the lives of Louis and Zelie Martin it is amazing to see so visibly the fulfillment of these things. With so many friends getting engaged I think it is so necessary to look at an example of a faith-filled marriage. Louis and Zelie supported each other in all things. They shared in their hardships and their joys. They stand as a pillar of the faith and of marriage.
I learned about the Martins when taking a Theology of the Body course, we were learning about how to live out the faith in marriage so it made sense to pray to a couple who were canonized because of their marriage. But it was in turning to them in prayer as I looked toward a future as a husband and a father that I found a deeper connection them. Their example of how to live a life of faith that can shape the faiths of my future spouse and children helped fuel a desire to live my life for these people I loved dearly but did not know yet. This may sound a little wacky but through their intersession I found myself living not only for myself but for my future family. And it was in this that I found a greater meaning to all that I do. As I prepared for my future vocation I found myself praying for these people asking God to help me be the man they needed me to be and asking Louis and Zelie to help me as well.
