Section 4 | Rule 11: Regarding the Custos’ Sacred Duty to Deliver Himself Up for His Wife

Let the Custos understand that he is to deliver himself up for his wife as Christ has delivered Himself up for the Church. The Greek word for deliver, paradōken, means to hand over, to give, or to deliver over. This is the same word that our Lord uses to describe God the Father’s generosity: “If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in Heaven, give (paradōken) good things to them that ask Him?” (Mt 7:11). Furthermore, this generosity is not limited to giving things only, but also includes the sharing of one’s authority, as Christ shared His authority with His disciples: “And having called his twelve disciples together, He gave (paradōken) them power [authority] over unclean spirits” (Mt 10:1). Therefore, let the husband deliver himself up to God on behalf of his wife by generously sharing and entrusting his talents, gifts, goods, love, authority, and power with his wife as his equal, his essential counterpart.

Devin Schadt | Executive Director of the Fathers of St. Joseph

Ite ad Joseph