Wahlberg openly professes his Catholic religion and wears an ash cross on his forehead to mark the start of Lent, but he keeps his personal relationship with God a secret.
The 51-year-old remarked to co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, “It’s a balance,” referring to his predilection for talking about religion.
“I don’t because I don’t want to force anyone to agree with my opinions. A more serious sin is this. I can’t hide my opinions even if it’s unpopular in my field of work. I think it’s crucial to spread this information to others. I have friends from a range of cultures and beliefs, therefore it’s crucial to appreciate and value them as well.
When it comes to the four children he and his wife Rhea Durham have together, Wahlberg emphasized that he still adheres to the same “share but don’t push” philosophy.
I don’t try to force it on them,” he added. However, they are aware that Dad cannot begin his day without attending Mass, reading his Bible, or praying. Kids should naturally gravitate toward it rather than having it imposed upon them, thinking, “Well, if it works for Dad, maybe it will work for us.”
“I don’t because I don’t want to force anyone to agree with my opinions. That is the biggest sin.
When Wahlberg sat down with Savannah to discuss the Lenten season and the fasting days that are a part of it, he went into more insight on what functions for him as a guest narrator and paid ambassador for the Catholic prayer app Hallow.
According to Wahlberg, fasting has a variety of beneficial benefits. “I believe it’s crucial to recognize that, first and foremost, there are other issues to consider if you have eating disorders. God is aware of the things that you should avoid.
The behaviors that make us feel guilty and less than our best selves are known to all of us. One has to be able to step back from unhealthy activities in order to concentrate on beneficial ones. Fasting has drawbacks, such as the fact that I won’t be eating any meat today. Today and every Friday through Good Friday, I’ll only eat one meal.
Wahlberg will also guide listeners through enlightening lectures on the practice of fasting as part of the Pray40 Lent Challenge on the Hallow app.
He asserts that the discipline needed to persevere through Lent’s trials “makes people better versions of themselves.”
That is what he has personally observed, at least.
He declared, “Discipline has always been vital to me in life. I discovered I needed a lot more discipline in my life when I transitioned from music to movies, and that discipline has given me so many other things. I’ve been so richly rewarded for it, and I want to offer it to others, whether it be by fasting, getting more exercise, giving up other activities, or simply spending more time in prayer or contemplative thinking. These concerns are significant.
When asked to concisely sum up his religious convictions, Wahlberg responded, “Oh, it’s everything.”
He said, “I’ve had so many possibilities because of that. It is obvious that God did not come to save the righteous. He comes to deliver the guilty. Focusing on my faith has given me the ability to become a better version of myself, which is something we all aspire to.
