Mark Wahlberg recently opened up about the importance of his Catholic faith and the impact it has on his daily life.
On Wednesday, which was also the first day of Lent in the Christian calendar, the actor appeared on NBC's Today show where he revealed that he doesn't try to hide his relationship with God.
"It’s a balance," the 51-year-old told co-anchor Savannah Guthrie while sporting a black cross on his forehead, "I don’t want to jam it down anybody’s throat, but I do not deny my faith. That’s an even bigger sin.
"You know, it’s not popular in my industry but I cannot deny my faith," he continued. "It’s important for me to share that with people. But, I have friends from all walks of life and all different types of faiths and religions, so it’s important to respect and honor them as well."
He credited his discipline within his career to his faith too.
"I’ve been rewarded for it so much, and I want to share that with people, whether that’s with fasting, working out more, detaching from other things and just spending more time with God, in prayer or in thoughtful reflection. Those things are important."
Watch the interview below:Elsewhere during the interview, he also emphasized the importance of fasting during the Lenten season.
"There are many different elements to fasting," Wahlberg told Guthrie. "I think the important thing to understand is that, first of all, if you have issues with food, there are other things. God knows the things that he wants you to detach from.
"We all know those things that make us feel guilty, don’t make us feel as good as we should. So [it's about] being able to detach from those things and focus on good habits as opposed to bad habits. There are challenges for fasting, like today, I won’t have any meat. I’ll have one meal today, and I’ll do that every Friday throughout Lent and Good Friday."
The actor noted that the discipline required to adhere to the challenges of the religious period helps "people to be better versions of themselves."
The Father Stu star has never shied away from being vocal about his religious beliefs.
Speaking to the outlet early last year, he revealed that he doesn't force his children to follow Catholicism just because he does, though he does encourage them to respect his beliefs.
He said that he hopes that they'll "gravitate towards it on their own."
"They know that Dad can’t start the day without being in prayer, can’t start the day without reading my Scripture or going to Mass," Wahlberg explained.
"And hopefully, instead of forcing that on them, they’ll say, ‘Well, if it works for Dad, maybe it’ll work for us,’ and they’ll kind of gravitate towards it on their own."
You've got to admire this man's dedication, that's for sure!
