“Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” Ephesians 5:22-24
To which the husband responds, “HAHA! I am the leader! Do as I say!”
NOT!
Let’s ask Jesus what His thoughts are on that leadership style. What do you think of husband’s hoarding this verse over their wife, Lord?
“It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”” Matthew 20:26-28
A husband is the leader, yes. But, a great Biblical, Catholic husband after God’s own heart is a servant. He leads from the bottom. He dies to himself for his bride. He becomes the servant…a slave.
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25-27
The grace given through marriage within the Catholic Church comes from God Himself in the Sacramental nature of marriage. This goal isn’t to be a dictator but to serve, the literally lift and carry one’s wife into Heaven. To lift and carry one’s children to God’s Kingdom.
In the Sacrament of Marriage, the husband is servant, the husband is defender, the husband is called to carry and lift his bride upon his shoulders that she may stain Heaven. A husband always lines up third in. sacramental marriage – Jesus, wife and then the husband.
Of course, this same order goes for the bride. Her ‘job’ is the be the guide to lead her husband home. Be the light that shows him the way when his mind wonders.
The greatest marriage and relationship always puts Christ first. Period. ‘Where two are gathered there is Jesus’ That three ply cord is strengthened by its center – God.
Yes, be a leader. Be a great leader as Jesus Himself led and taught. Come to serve not be served, come to carry the cross of your wife. Come to die upon that cross. For her, be ransom. Carry her to Heaven so she may be seen as a sanctified gift to God Himself.