It’s hard to believe that I could learn something about love and marriage from my two-year-old grandson.

But I did.

In church, no less.

Years ago, my wide-awake, perpetually curious two-year-old grandson sat in the Crying Room at church. While he was well-behaved on this particular Sunday morning, a nearby four-year-old could not sit still. Hyperactive was an understatement. Distracted by his misbehaving neighbor, my grandson watched, with increasingly focused attention, the non-stop activity of this 4-year-old dynamo, no doubt wondering if he could get away with acting the same. Hoping to keep the 4-year-old from becoming a further distraction, his grandmother grabbed him and pointed at the large crucifix above the altar. Sounding more like an urgent plea, she stated, “See Jesus!” The 4-year-old stopped and turned his attention to the cross. Now mesmerized by the image, he walked up to the window, stood quietly, and uttered two words, “WOW, Jesus.”

My two-year-old grandson, fascinated with the turn of events, decided to enter the conversation. With the 4-year-old’s eyes still fixed on Jesus, my grandson expressed his own amazement.

Four-year-old:  “WOW, Jesus.”

Grandson:  “WOW”

Four-year-old:  “WOW, Jesus.”

Grandson:  “WOW”

The crying room became a sanctuary of chuckles as parents could only smile as a holy sense of wonder filled these two youngsters. I could not help but recall how Jesus admonished his disciples to allow the children to come unto him, “for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14) It was a reminder that we adults can become so familiar with the common and routine that we fail to see the wonder surrounding us.

It was also a sobering reminder that the crucifix serves as a model of true love and doesn’t hide the reality that love is sometimes painful and requires sacrifice.

When St. Paul urges husbands to “love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her…” (Ephesians 5:25), he boldly states the sacrificial aspect of the love relationship between a man and a woman.

Sacrifice may not be a word that romantics want to hear.

We do not read about giving up your wants to meet her needs very often, but what better indicator of true love than when demonstrated sacrificially?

Is it any surprise that a woman who sees her husband love her sacrificially will respond like we do when we gaze upon a crucifix? She will be a woman filled with gratitude, adore her husband, find comfort in his embrace, be inspired to live sacrificially herself, and fall even more in love with him.

I think “Wow” is the most appropriate response.

Oh, that I never yawn in the face of the wonder of the cross. Oh, that I will forever be awestruck by that which is worthy and never cease to be amazed at the grace of God. May I always see the wonder in my wife and my marriage and never take her for granted. And, as a husband, may I model the love of Jesus to my wife.

Then, maybe, her response to me, as her husband, will be the same as that of those two little boys when they beheld the crucifix above the altar.

“Wow!”