Sacrament of Matrimony
Sacrament of Matrimony
Sacrament of Matrimony
wedding. Years of preparation is being done to realize this dream. What do we usually fail to prepare for this very important celebration in our life?
SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
Word of God: Genesis 2:23-24 that is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body. Ephesians 5:22-33 Wives should be submissive to their husbands as if to the Lordhusband is the head of his wife just as Chris is the Head of His Body the Church. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loves the Church.
Church Teaching
CFC 19962010
Marriage is a unique sacrament in that it is built into the very nature of our human reality as created male and female, through Gods love, in the image of God who is love, and called to a covenant of loving one another, in sharing Gods own divine love.
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.
Catholic tradition
speaks of Marriage in terms of sacrament, mutual love and fidelity of spouses, and offspring.
Marriage as sacrament
Two elements:
1. sacramental celebration of marriage when man and woman stand before God and the community and freely and publicly declare their love: to be one heart and one soul, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.
Marriage as sacrament
The solemn entry of the couple into a binding commitment before God and the Christian community, declares that: We love each other and we want our love to last forever. We ask you to respect this commitment and help us keep it. Thus, trial marriages and live-ins do not enjoy good marriage. 2. Marriage then is a process, not a state; a beginning not an end; a threshold not a goal.
the couples married life of love are a sacrament of Christ love for his people. This means that Marriage between Christians is a saving symbolic act and life, grounded in Christs ministry, and continued in, by and for the Church, which when celebrated in faith, fashions the married couple into the likeness of Christ, by making them actually share in Gods own love and faithfulness through the power of the Holy Spirit.
SIGNS/SYMBOLS
vows and rings
"I, (name), take you, (name), to be my husband/wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life." (or a similar formula) The husband and wife make these promises to each other publicly. (Rings are exchanged as a visible sign of this verbal commitment.)
Gods faithfulness to his people A commitment to be faithful and true A commitment to share everything about themselves the I becomes We. Makes God present in their marriage - in giving themselves to each other, in friendship, forgiveness, helping in daily struggles to be faithful to each other
MINISTER
the couple themselves! (clergy are just the official witness/es of God and the Church in the couples exchange of consent to take each other as lawful husband/ wife)
Fidelity in Marriage
Faithfulness in marriage means growing in faith, trust and love for each. Marriage Serves Life: Offspring Married love is creative Open to procreation and education of children When couple bears children, they share in Gods work of creation in bringing forth new life Children are themselves signs of Gods love because they were born of Gods love sacramentally present in the love of the couple.
3.
Integration
Why does the Church require couples to
received the Sacrament of Matrimony? How can you help your parents be faithful to one another? Pray for your parents that they may always be faithful to one another.
May they always be true to their promise to love one another in whatever situation they are in as husband and wife.
Evaluation
Reflection Writing: (30 points)
On Sacrament of Matrimony: How can married couple stay faithful to one another? Compose a prayer for your parents. On Sacrament of Holy Orders How can the priesthood bring salvation to all people? Compose a prayer for the pope, bishops and priests.