Jesus elevated marriage to a sacrament. A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give sanctifying grace. Therefore, in holy matrimony, husband and wife receive the grace appropriate to that state in life. Primarily this grace will help them in sanctifying each other and the children God sends them. It will give them strength to keep the bond of matrimony in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, in riches or poverty, in good times and bad, until death parts them. In a ...