Pope Leo’s Challenge to Married Couples (Morning Air)

John Morales and guest Theresa Civantos Barber explored a bold and beautiful message from Pope Leo XIV for married couples. Yes, it’s a challenge, but one that might just save the world (no pressure 😉). Pope Leo told couples that marriage is about becoming a living, breathing witness that LOVE is real, forever, and totally worth it. ❤️

“Marriage is not an ideal, but the measure of true love… a love that is total, faithful, and fruitful.” -Pope Leo


So, What Does That Look Like? Theresa explains:

💔 Yes, the world’s full of broken relationships.

✝️ But Jesus calls us to unity.

🕊️ Marriage can (and should!) be a sign of hope, a light in the storm.


📿 The Saints Had Tantrum-Throwing Kids Too 😅

Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin (parents of St. Thérèse): Zélie once said, “If this keeps up, I shall be dead by lunchtime!” 🙃

The Ulma Family, Polish martyrs who proved a family can literally be holy together… even to the end.

Key takeaway: The saints weren’t perfect; they were faithful. They struggled; they got tired, and they probably forgot to thaw the meat for dinner too… but they kept coming back to Christ.


🙏 Invite the Third Partner

John reminded us of something beautiful from Archbishop Fulton Sheen: Marriage takes three: husband, wife, and Jesus. 👰🤵✝️

Without Christ in the center, marriage becomes just two people trying to out stubborn each other. But with Him, it becomes a holy dance. It’s an opportunity to die to self and love more like Christ.


💡 Practical Tips:

Little gestures matter: hugs, kisses, holding hands during prayer… these small things build big love.

Fight for unity, not to be “right.”

Start small: Pray one Hail Mary together or just apologize if you’ve made a mistake.

Read about the saints! Seriously, they’re more relatable than you might think.


✨ One Last Word of Encouragement:

“Don’t wait until tomorrow to become a saint.” –St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Whether you’re single, married, dating, or barely surviving family life with toddlers and crackers everywhere, this challenge from Pope Leo is for you: Let your life, and especially your marriage, be a sign of hope… a living, joyful yes to love.


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Jake Moore serves as a Digital Audio Content Producer for Relevant Radio®. He is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, and is passionate about classic movies, Christian music, young adult ministry, and leading this generation to Christ through compelling media. You can listen to more of his podcasts at relevantradio.com and on the Relevant Radio® app.