Rev. James D. Conley, D.D., S.T.L. | Diocese of Lincoln website

Five years ago, a columnist shared her first piece as a newlywed. The Gospel reading at the Mass during her honeymoon emphasized the idea of loving Christ above all else, even above one's spouse. This message was underscored by the couple's experience cheering for rival football teams at a Colorado-Nebraska game.

The columnist reflects on her journey through marriage and faith, noting that she has been listening to Father Mike Schmitz’s "Catechism in a Year" podcast. A recent episode focused on the sacrament of marriage and brought new insight into the Gospel of Mark: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (10:7-8).

This verse is often associated with procreation, but the podcast suggested it also signifies that spouses become one flesh through marriage itself, regardless of children. This understanding has deepened for her over five years of marriage, marked by job changes, relocations, buying a house, welcoming a daughter named Emmalyn, experiencing miscarriage, family losses, and health challenges like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

She acknowledges that their marital bond in God's eyes does not depend on having more children. Whether they have many or just one child does not alter their status as one flesh since their wedding day. Their commitment is about building up the Body of Christ as disciples.

Their love serves as a testament to how Jesus loves His Church. They cherish their daughter while hoping for more children but recognize they have already fulfilled the Gospel's words through their marriage vows.

The column concludes with an affirmation from Mark 10:9: “Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” She wishes her husband Tyrel a happy fifth anniversary.