MARRIAGE AS A SACRAMENT

And Yahweh the Lord said, It is not good for the man to be alone, I am going to make a helper for him, and his counterpart. And the rib which Yahweh the Lord had taken from the man, he made into a woman and he brought her to the man. And the man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She is called woman (Ishta) because she was taken out of man (Ish). For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.-Gen. 2: 18, 22-24

WEDDING FEAST AT CANA (Jn 2:1-10)

Jesus is portrayed as wedding guest, He performed His 1st miracle (changing water into wine)

And Jesus answered them, and said, For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate. They said to him, Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and put her away. Jesus replied to them, Because of the hardness of your hearts, Moses allowed you to put away your wives, but it was not so from the beginning. And I tell you whoever put away his wife except in the case of adultery, and marries another, commits adultery, and who ever marries her who has been put away commits adultery.-Mt. 19: 4-9

MARRIAGE

A civil contract between a man and a woman.

HOLY MATRIMONY

A sacrament of the church.A contract between man, woman and Christ.Lasts until the death of one or the other partners.Has much higher standards than a civil marriage.

MARRIAGE AS A SAVING GRACE

THE COUPLES REFLECT THE FATIHFULNESS OF GOD TO HIS COVENANT AND CHRIST TO HIS CHURCH

SACRAMENTAL MARRIAGE AS A LITURGICAL ACT

IT MUST BE CELEBRATED IN THE PUBLIC LITURGY OF THE CHURCH

THE PUBLIC CHARACTER OF THE CONSENT HELPS THE FAITHFUL TO REMAIN FAITHFUL

THE CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE TAKES PLACE DURING THE MASS

THIS IS TO EMPHASIZE THE CONNECTION OF THE SACRAMENTS WITH THE PASCHAL MYSTERY OF CHRIST

Rite of celebrating during mass usual way baptized Catholics celebrate

Liturgy of the Word (appropriate scriptural passages are read)

Homily may focus on marriage as sacrament of Christs love for His bride, Church, dignity of married love and responsibilities of married couple

Rite of celebrating during mass usual way baptized Catholics celebrate

Actual rite priest addresses the couple My dear friends, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Churchs minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now He enriches and strengthens you by a special sacrament so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions.

Rite of celebrating during mass usual way baptized Catholics celebrate

Priest poses questions to couple confirming that they are entering into marriage freely, they promise to love and be faithful to each other and they are willing to accept the possibility of having children and responsibility to raise them as good Catholic Christians.presider invites man & woman to declare their free consent

Rite of celebrating during mass usual way baptized Catholics celebrate

General intercessory prayerspreparation of gifsLiturgy of the EucharistAfter Our Father before Holy Communion, priest gives nuptial blessingFinal blessing (includes blessing for bride and groom)

Rite for celebrating marriage outside mass and rite of celebrating between Catholic and unbaptized person are the same as rite for celebrating marriage w/in mass except that Eucharist is not celebrated.

FORM: exchange of MARITAL VOWS in presence of whole community

MATTER: WEDDING RINGS are blessed and worn by couple

MINISTERCouplePriest is just a witness

EFFECTS:

Christs love sanctifies the love of the husband and wife.Once the marriage is consummated, an irrevocable, perpetual, and exclusive bond results between the spouses who freely consented to become lifelong partners.Their relationship is covenantal, not simply contractual, in which the Lord showers His graces to perfect their love and strengthen their unity.

EFFECTS:

A major fruit of their life in common is the welcoming of children God may send them. Their life together, along with their efforts to rear and educate their children in a family setting, is the primary means for a married couple to attain holiness.