12 Life-Changing Benefits of Marrying Young: Faith, Family, and Fulfillment – A Catholic Perspective

Why Young People Should Get Married Sooner: A Catholic Perspective

In today’s society, young people often delay marriage, focusing instead on career, financial stability, and personal development. While these are important aspects of life, the Catholic Church teaches that marriage is not simply a milestone, but a sacred vocation—a pathway to holiness, love, and service. For those not called to religious life, marriage offers profound spiritual, emotional, and societal benefits. Embracing this calling earlier in life can bring abundant grace and fulfillment, as young couples trust in God’s providence and work together to build a life centered on Christ. Below are 12 reasons, based on Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), and the teachings of saints and popes, why young Catholics should consider marrying sooner.

1. Marriage Is a Covenant Between Man, Woman, and Christ

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, a great teacher on the sacrament of marriage, emphasized that marriage is not merely a covenant between two people but a sacred bond between three: man, woman, and Jesus Christ. He said, “It takes three to make love: man, woman, and God. Without God, people only succeed in bringing out the worst in one another.”

In marriage, both husband and wife draw love from the ultimate source—God Himself. Christ is at the center of their union, supplying the grace and love they need to share with each other. Without God, there is no true love. 1 John 4:7 (ESV-CE) reminds us: "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God."

By marrying younger and embracing this covenant with Christ, couples will receive divine grace, allowing them to love selflessly and grow in holiness together.

2. Building Holiness Together

Marriage is a vocation of mutual sanctification, where spouses help each other grow in holiness. St. John Paul II emphasized in Familiaris Consortio that the sacrament of marriage is a "path to sanctity," reflecting Christ’s love for the Church. By marrying earlier, couples have more time to support each other on their journey toward holiness and sainthood.

Ephesians 5:25-27 (ESV-CE) echoes this: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her."

3. Fulfilling God’s Command: Be Fruitful and Multiply

From the beginning, God instituted marriage as the sacred context for procreation and family life. In Genesis 1:28 (ESV-CE), God commands: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth." Marrying at a younger age allows couples more time to participate in this divine calling, building a family and raising children in the Catholic faith.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 1601 reminds us: "The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring."

Starting earlier means couples have more time to pass on their faith, values, and traditions to their children, continuing God's creation through their family.

4. Guarding Against Temptation

In today’s hypersexualized culture, young people are bombarded with temptations that can lead them away from God’s plan for love and marriage. St. Paul offers practical advice in 1 Corinthians 7:2 (ESV-CE): "But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband."

Marrying earlier provides a sacramental outlet for love and intimacy, helping couples resist the temptations of the world and live according to God’s design. By entering into this sacrament sooner, couples can protect themselves from worldly influences and instead cultivate a pure, holy love within their marriage.

5. Trusting in God’s Providence and Building Financial Stability Together

Many young people delay marriage, and even having children, due to concerns about financial stability or the uncertainty of the future. However, the Catholic faith calls us to trust in God’s providence. Marrying earlier and being open to life allows couples to grow together, both in love and in financial stability, as they navigate challenges as a team with Christ at the center.

By trusting in God’s timing, rather than waiting for the "perfect" moment, couples build a foundation of trust and resilience. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV-CE) reminds us: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart... and He will make straight your paths." When we step forward in faith, God provides for our needs, including financial stability.

Many couples fear the financial responsibility of children, but in Bible Matthew 18:19 (ESV-CE) assures us: "If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father." When husband and wife bring their needs—including financial concerns about having children—before the Lord, they can trust in His provision.

Matthew 6:33 (ESV-CE) also teaches: "Seek first the kingdom of God... and all these things will be added to you." When couples place God at the center of their marriage and their openness to life, they can trust that financial stability will come as part of their faithful journey.

By relying on God’s providence, young couples can face financial concerns with confidence, knowing that His grace will sustain them and provide for their needs, both materially and spiritually.

6. Emotional and Spiritual Maturity Through Marriage

Contrary to popular belief, marriage fosters emotional and spiritual maturity. Instead of waiting to "find yourself" before getting married, young couples grow in patience, humility, and selflessness as they navigate married life together. Marriage shapes individuals into better spouses and better disciples of Christ.

Pope Francis, in Amoris Laetitia, highlights how love matures over time: "Love...has to go through different stages, for it is not a static reality." Proverbs 5:18 (ESV-CE) also encourages: "Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth." Growing in love together deepens the couple’s relationship with each other and with God.

7. Facing Life’s Joys and Challenges Together

Marrying earlier provides the gift of facing life’s joys and challenges with a trusted partner by your side. The ups and downs of life become opportunities to grow in virtue and resilience as a couple, knowing that you are supported by God and each other. Starting young gives couples the chance to build a strong foundation for their future.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV-CE) reminds us: "Two are better than one... For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow." Through the sacrament of marriage, couples are strengthened by each other’s support, growing closer as they face life’s challenges together.

8. Strengthening Society and the Church Through Strong Families

Marriage is not just for the couple, but for the betterment of society and the Church. By marrying earlier, couples form stable families that provide a foundation for passing on Christian values to future generations. Strong families contribute to the Church and the world, nurturing children who will grow up to be faithful, virtuous members of society.

The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church teaches: "The family, founded on marriage, is a natural institution to which a specific and exclusive social value corresponds." Through their example, young Catholic couples contribute to the common good, showing that strong marriages are the backbone of a stable, flourishing society.

9. Healthier Parenting: Raising Healthy Children with the Strength of Youth

Couples who marry younger often benefit from greater energy and adaptability to meet the demands of parenting. Their physical vitality allows them to stay more engaged in their children's lives, actively participating in their growth and milestones. This youthful energy helps parents form strong intergenerational bonds as they witness the full arc of their children's lives, from infancy to adulthood.

Marrying younger also has notable health benefits for both parents and their children. Women in their twenties face lower risks of pregnancy complications, such as gestational diabetes and high blood pressure, and have a higher chance of conceiving healthy children.

Additionally, starting a family earlier gives couples more time to impart their faith and values to their children, ensuring the next generation grows up in a loving, faith-filled home. As parents grow with their children, they can play an active role in shaping their spiritual and emotional development.

Psalm 127:3-5 (ESV-CE) states: "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." Young couples are blessed with the opportunity to raise their children in the light of Christ, providing a strong foundation for life—both spiritually and physically.

By marrying younger, couples gain the advantage of youthful energy and the grace of God, helping them nurture their children with strength and faith through all stages of life.

10. Learning Sacrifice and Selflessness Early

Marriage teaches couples the virtue of selflessness and sacrifice, which are central to the Christian life. Young couples who marry earlier learn to die to themselves for the sake of their spouse, imitating the sacrificial love of Christ. This deepens their understanding of love and prepares them for the responsibilities of parenthood and family life.

St. Thomas Aquinas taught: "Charity consists in loving others for God’s sake." Marriage provides the daily opportunity to practice charity, helping couples grow in holiness and live out their vocation as disciples of Christ.

11. Supporting Their Children as Grandparents

One of the greatest joys of marrying young is the opportunity to be present not only for your children but also for your grandchildren. By marrying earlier, couples are more likely to be healthy and active in the lives of their grandchildren, helping to pass on the Catholic faith and family values to future generations.

During a luncheon I had with Pope Francis on July 26, 2013, at World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro—coinciding with the feast of St. Anne and St. Joachim—I was invited, along with 11 other youth from around the world. Pope Francis emphasized the vital role of grandparents in passing on the faith. He explained that, while parents are often busy with work and providing for their families, it is the responsibility of grandparents to share the faith with the next generation.

Proverbs 17:6 (ESV-CE) says: "Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers." Being present for future generations allows grandparents to guide, support, and witness the growth of their family, continuing the legacy of faith and love.

12. Creating a Legacy of Faith

Marriage is more than just a personal relationship; it is a vocation through which God’s love and grace are transmitted to future generations. By marrying younger, couples have more time to build a strong family rooted in Christian values. This legacy of faith can be passed down to their children and grandchildren, ensuring that their family remains a light to the world and a witness to the power of God’s love.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (ESV-CE) instructs: "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children." Through marriage, young couples take up the mission of passing on the faith, building a legacy that will endure.

Conclusion

As Mother Teresa said, "Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house." Married life is a mission to serve each other, the Church, and the world, and beginning this vocation earlier allows for a lifetime of fruitful service.

Marriage is a beautiful sacrament and a profound vocation that brings immense blessings to the couple, their family, and the world. For young Catholics not called to religious life, embracing the vocation of marriage at a younger age offers an opportunity to grow in holiness, raise a family, and live out a life of love and service. By entering into this covenant with Christ, couples receive divine grace, allowing them to love selflessly and grow in holiness together.

With God at the center, marriage becomes a path to holiness, and young couples can build a strong, faith-filled partnership that reflects Christ’s love for His Church. May God bless all young people as they discern His call to marriage, trusting that He will provide the grace and the strength they need to live out their vocation joyfully and faithfully.