Sacrament of Christ’s Love Matrimony Sacrament of Christ’s Love

Nature of the Sacrament Sacrament of human love that Christ raised as an efficacious (effective) symbol of his love for the Church.

Biblical Foundation “God created man in his image… male and female He created them… He blessed them saying ‘Be fertile and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.’” (Gen 1:27f). “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him… that is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body” (Gen 2:18, 24)

Genesis Teaching on Marriage The two basic purposes of marriage: Unitive Procreative The fall from conjugal unity and equality Genesis 3 sketches the origin of sin and its basic consequences in human marriage: infidelity, adultery, divorce, broken families, etc. God promising a savior It is through Jesus Christ that the “covenant of human love” was raised to become the sacrament of God’s new and eternal Covenant with His people, the Church. (CFC 1997)

Image of the New Covenant The marriage covenant between husband and wife images the covenant between Christ and his Church. Therefore husbands and wives should love each other as Christ loves the Church, “deferring to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph 5:21).

Goods / Values of Marriage Sacrament of Christ’s love for his people Mutual love and fidelity of spouses Offspring

Marriage as A Sacrament Both the celebration of the Marriage Rite and the couple’s married life of love are a “sacrament” of Christ’s love for his people. “The love of man and woman is made holy in the Sacrament of Marriage, and becomes the mirror of your everlasting love.” 3rd Preface of the Wedding Mass

Marriage Fidelity/ Indissolubility Authentic married love should be marked by total permanent fidelity “till death do us part,” following Christ’s own prophetic proclamation: “let no man separate what God has joined” (Mt 19:6). While recognizing the great obstacles to the Christian ideal, the Church is convinced of the transforming sacramental grace of Christ and the Spirit which makes possible permanent conjugal love. (CFC 2007)

Offspring “By their very nature, the institution of marriage and conjugal love are ordained for the procreation and education of children, and find in them their ultimate crown” (GS 48).

Responsible Parenthood The Church teaches the grave need for responsible parenthood which involves bringing into the world only those children whom they can well support and educate. The Church advocates only Natural Family Planning, rejecting all artificial means of contraception. CFC 2009

Why Get Married in the Church? Catholic spouses get married in the church: To have their binding commitment of love to each other before God and the Christian community, Blessed through, with and in Christ their Lord and Savior, as he blessed the wedding at Cana, where he performed the first of his “signs” revealing his glory to his disciples. CFC 2001

Essential Elements MINISTERS MATTER FORM Bride and Groom A priest or a deacon presides at the celebration in an official capacity for the Church (as witness). MATTER The mutual consent of the couple FORM The exchange of “I do’s.”