Most people don’t think of St. Paul when they think of marriage.
It’s probably because he never married. He was a missionary, a martyr, a theologian. But if you’ve ever been married long enough to know what real love costs, then you’ve already lived many of his most powerful words.
Because marriage, being real, covenantal, and enduring, isn’t sustained by passion alone. It’s carried by something deeper: surrendered strength, enduring hope, and the will to finish what you vowed to begin. It’s about commitment and trust.
There were a few passages and quotes from St. Paul that helped me connect his work to the concept of marriage. Let’s break these passages down:
1. “When I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10)
The first thought that came to my mind when reading St. Paul’s words were “ Men! Read this!! It is not a bad thing to feel weak. It is simply the human experience”. Surrendering to that weakness is what gives you strength. What does this look like in 2025?
- Not needing to win the ‘fight’ within the argument.
- Non-dominating during an argument.
- Not using my physical size for intimidation.
- Pausing during a discussion rather than defending.
- Listening more than speaking.
- Connecting more than correcting.
- Asking for help when you need help.
Paul wasn’t talking about physical weakness here. He was speaking of that moment when we stop trying to win or be right, and instead lean entirely on God’s grace. Vulnerability isn’t weakness. It’s sacred strength, a strength that says, “I’d rather be real than lose you.”
2. “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor. 13:7)
Paul’s famous words are often read at weddings, but their full weight is only felt in the trenches of life together.
- When the job falls through.
- When resentment grows.
- When a physical or mental illness is diagnosed.
- When one of you is grieving and the other doesn’t know how to help.
That’s when this verse kicks in.
Endurance in marriage isn’t passive. It’s a deliberate choice to remain faithful not just to your spouse, but to God, through your spouse.
3. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim. 4:7)
If you visited my website, you will see this verse there. It is one of my favourites of my beloved St. Paul.
He uttered these words while dying in prison. But they echoed each couple that remained together through the tough times.
Every couple that recommitted after a betrayal.
Every husband and wife who grew old holding hands through hospital visits, parenting trials, and quiet forgiveness.
The world may not cheer for those who finish the race of marriage. But heaven does.
I wrote this entry on June 29, 2025, a day that the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Paul and Peter. St. Peter died for the Church, and his new successor, Pope Leo XIV, still reigns strong. St. Paul may not have written directly about marriage, but his life was married to Christ, faithfully, painfully, beautifully. His words guide us not toward romance, but toward resilience, grace, and the kind of love that transforms suffering into sanctification.