Eleven years ago on the morning of June 26, I met Archbishop Gomez for breakfast and told him I was ready to enter seminary.
I had fallen in love with the priesthood and wanted to give my life entirely to God in the service of His people.
Eleven years ago on the evening of June 26, I sat down at a dinner next to the most stunning woman I'd ever met. But, what had me interested and confused and the whole range of emotions in between was everything beyond that - her love for God, her joy for life, her courage and compassion, her intelligence.
I'd met a lot of beautiful women in Los Angeles, but I'd never met Katherine. We talked till the restaurant kicked us out.
As I drove home, I didn't know if I met the woman I was going to marry, or the greatest temptation I had ever faced - what I did know is that I had to face the fact that she existed and it would forever change my life.
Fast forward a few weeks and I'm in New York for a big pitch, I get upgraded to a suite at my hotel and invite my mom out to visit. I notice on Facebook that Katherine is in NYC too with her parents. We meet up for dinner and our families meet.
Turns out that both our moms were special education teachers at one point. Over dinner number two, I tell her about my brother and she tells me she would love to adopt children with special needs if the opportunity ever presented itself.
That night in the cab, my mom asked me what's up with this girl and I get angry. It was like she was pulling a scab off my heart that I didn't even know was there.
I yelled at her and told her I'm supposed to be a priest and that is that.
The next morning, my emotions the night before clued me into the fact that there was something I had to deal with.
I went to confession before morning Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. I resolved to pray about what God wanted from me. I prayed the Mary Undoer of Knots novena, where you place yourself in Mary's hands as a Mother and ask her to undo the knots in your life.
I particularly asked her to help me address the fact that I'd never really seen a good marriage and didn't know what one was. It follows that I had no idea how to be a husband.
Without getting into details, in prayer I heard the words, "there's a priest of the family too," and I had no idea what that meant.
I went to my spiritual director and he informed me, "That is a husband. A husband sacrifices for his family. A husband leads his family in prayer."
"You mean I can be a priest for Katherine?" I asked.
"Matt, you are describing a husband," was his response.
When I asked Katherine out, I knew I was going to marry her. It took her a little while longer.
But three children on earth, two more in Heaven, a farm, a dog, 3 cats, 4 kittens, 19 hens, 1 rooster, 3 sheep and a whole lot of life later, it is so clear that God knew my heart and was guiding me far better than I could have ever guided myself.
Eleven years ago on June 26, it was also the Feast of St. Josemaria Escriva.
St. Josemaria is a special saint I was praying to in Heaven to help me find my vocation - or particular calling from God.
And in one day, he delivered.
God presented me with two paths: the seminary and my future wife. God always gives us freedom. And, it took me falling in love with the priesthood to be ready for Katherine.
Why am I sharing this today?
1. Because God is so good. If you just surrender your life to Him, there is no telling what He will do. But I can guarantee it will be full and good and rich.
2. Because next to God, I love Katherine my family and the life we are building together more than anything. And,
3. Because the saints are real and they intercede for us in Heaven before the throne of God - and believe me, they get things done.
June 26 is the feast of St. Josemaria, and I can't thank him and the Blessed Mother enough for continuing to point me to Jesus and teaching me to become a living offering of love.
This article originally appeared on Facebook.