I reached the point where my blog is at the point to speak about Marriage and guess what this Sunday's Gospel is? Marriage. I don't know if God wants me to speak up about it.
Anyway, indeed I am going to talk about the Sacrament of Matrimony. Sex and marriage have been my favorite topics as of late. I guess it's because I'm about to get married. My source will be this Sunday's (Oct 8, 2006; Gen 2:18-24; Mk 10:2-16) Liturgy, the Word on Fire sermon by Fr. Robert Barron and a little of Theology of the Body. I will be diversifying for this lesson but still stick to some basics.
What is the Sacrament of Matrimony? It is the sacrament that unites a man and woman into marriage. Both must be deemed free to marry in order to celebrate the sacrament.
What does the Bible teach us about Marriage? Well, referring to the readings for this Sunday, we can tell that God created man and woman. Man leaves his parents to be with his wife to become one flesh. Jesus seems to reinforce this. Divorce was never part of the equation. It is only of the hardness of heart that Moses had to write divorce. But "in the beginning" it was not so. Jesus just reiterated what was mentioned in Genesis.
Marriage can be looked at in so many levels. Many people marry for different reasons. They marry out of love, psychological reasons, economical reasons, etc. Let me ask you why do you want to get married in the church? Some couples will say, "because we love each other." Nothing wrong with that. Although, you really don't have to marry in the church if you love each other. So why marry in church?
Marriage is a Sacrament, why is it? Why do we believe that Marriage is a sacrament? What makes it Sacramental? It's because the couple make a vow. And in it's highest level, we show to God, we tell him that You brought us together. We belong to you. You have drawn us together specifically for your purposes so we as a couple can fulfill your will. Your will is our mission. Our marriage is not about us. How many of us think of marriage this way? Five minutes ago, I didn't. Now I do. And this is why, what God has joined together, let no man separate.
In marriage, two become one flesh. Is it for physical satisfaction? Yes. Expression of mutual love? Yes. Nothing wrong with that, we not puritans. At the highest level, coming together they have been presided over by God for his purposes. The husband and wife become an iconic representation of God. What? Let me explain.
When a husband and wife becomes a representation of God, I mean that we mirror God. We are after all, created in his image. We mirror the Trinity. The Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father. The love that they exchange is the Holy Spirit. In our human ways, we reflect this, The husband loves the wife and the wife loves the husband. The love of the husband and wife becomes fruitful. Their fruitful love does not have to be limited to children. It can be many other things. Fruitful love is the icon of the Trinity.
This is how Jesus loves us. We, the church, are the bride and he is the bridegroom. He wants a marital relationship with us. This is what I feel whenever I go to adoration. Although the sensation is not as strong as before, it's still there. Or at least I already know of it.
Unlike the other Sacraments, Marraige is quite unique. In Baptism, we receive the Sacrament through water. In Confirmation, we receive the Sacrament through the laying on of hands and oil. In Marriage, the couple IS the Sacrament. They become the living sign.
We must remember that this Love that the husband and wife share is quite demanding. Oh yes it is. Love is demanding. Just as Christ's love for the church is demanding. Husbands and wives should challenge each other to a deeper life in Christ. It is another way of how Christ lives in you. In any event the married life is also full of suffering. We should remember that suffering is the price of love. Don't just brush it away.
Sacrament of Matrimony
- Perceptible sign: the couple exchanging vows
- Marriage is a reflection of the Trinity
- It sacntifies the love between the bride and the groom.
(Source: Word on Fire sermon for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary time)
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