Continuing Catholic Education November 7 th 2011

Genesis – Contd. Last Week – Creation – In The Beginning God – Sin – Broken Relationship with God Marriage – Creation of Man and Woman, in God’s likeness and Image – Marital Communion as Communion of Holy Trinity – Marriage as a Covenant

Marriage – What we hear today ? Culture Media A spirit of Domination Infidelity Leaders Jealousy Conflicts escalating into hatred Statistics on Failures of Marriages As Long As …………

Marriage –God’s View ‘Let’s make man in our image and Likeness’ – Communion of Holy Trinity – Communion of Man and Woman – Perfect Communion: “bone of bones and flesh of flesh” ‘It is not good for man to be alone’ – Call the helpmate ‘Woman’ since she came from Man. – Vocation of mankind to be fruitful and multiply

The RIB story Story behind why woman was created from the rib of man She was not created from his head to be above him Nor was she created from his foot to be under by him. She was taken from his side to stand beside him, From beneath his arm to be protected by him, From near his heart to be loved by him.

The RIB story And the story continues… Rib protects the heart and lungs. Rib is strong, yet delicate and fragile. The rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart. – Support him as the rib cage supports the body. – Show him that you are the rib that protects his inner self.

Marital Love is Trinitarian Love Theology of Perfect Love (the Four Fs) - Benchmark of Catholic Marriage – Free – Self-Giving (and not taking) – Full – Gifting (and not grasping) – Faithful – Trusting (and not doubting) – Fruitful – Life (and not using)

How does Sin enter into Marriage? When there is a 4 th person/object, other than Man, Woman and God, in the Marriage => Trouble – The Serpent Broken Relationship with God => Fear Lost Personal Dignity => Nakedness, Shame, Treating others as objects rather than persons Lost the Trust of each other => Desire, Selfishness, Lust Lost Peace and Harmony with world=> Pain, Toil, Death

Marriage –A Vocation Perfect Unity – ‘What God has Joined’ – ‘Physical intimacy of spouses becomes a sign and pledge of Spiritual Communion’ (CCC 2360) – Marriage is called a complete sacrament- ‘When the two become one flesh, it becomes the perfect communion of persons from the beginning’ :John Paul II, Theology of Body

Marriage – A Vocation "Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the procreation and education of children” Vatican Council II Current Trends against this – Contraception – Artificial Birth Control Methods – Sterilization of man and woman – Abortion – Pre-Marital and Extra-Marital Sex

Marriage – As a Covenant What is a Covenant? Covenants in Bible Marriage becoming a Covenant Mutual Giving in Marriage - “Till Death do us part” Faithful to the Covenant

Marriage – A 7 th Day Life Seventh Day for Marriage? – God rested on 7 th Day – Transition from 6 th day to 7 th – Man and Woman resting with God on Seventh Day – The missing 4 th Person on 7 th Day!! – Children as God’s Gift, Raised for God in his image and likeness. – Family - A Sanctuary of God, Replica of Garden of Eden, Domestic Church

Marriage – What Church Teaches References Theology of Body – John Paul II Teachings of John Paul II. This is referred as “New Sexual Revolution” of last century Encyclicals – Humane Vitae – Paul VI – Evangelium Vitae – John Paul II