conjugal love

8/4/2019 Conjugal Love

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Three Requirements Conjugal love involves the appeal of body and instinct,

the power of feeling and affectivity, the aspirations ofspirit and will. All of these aim at a union beyond theflesh, a union of heart and soul. This definitive mutualself-giving demands indissolubility, faithfulness, andopenness to children. In this way, natural conjugal loveexpresses Christian values.


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No Longer Two

This community of spouses embraces their entire livesfor "they are no longer two, but one flesh" (Mt 19:6,Gen 2:24). They must continually grow in self-giving.Christ confirms this human communion by thesacrament of Matrimony and deepens it by theEucharist.


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Polygamy

The unity of marriage is made clear when spouses havean equal personal dignity. Therefore, polygamy iscontrary to exclusive and undivided conjugal love.


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Fidelity and Indissolubility

Conjugal love requires inviolable fidelity. Love is notan arrangement "until further notice." Marriage itselfand the good of the children demand total fidelity.

This teaching is based upon God's fidelity to the OldCovenant and Christ's fidelity to his Church. Thisindissolubility receives a deeper meaning from thesacrament.

Because this seems so difficult, the spouses must hearthe Good News of God's irrevocable love for them.They share in this love and witness to God's love bytheir own fidelity


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Separated But Still Married Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, common life

between the spouses is impossible. The Churchpermits the spouses to live apart (a physicalseparation). They are still husband and wife and arenot free to remarry. If possible, they should reconcile.In either case, the Christian community must helpthem to live out their original indissolublecommitment.


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New Civil Marriage

Sometimes, spouses divorce and contract a new civil marriage.This violates Christ's clear words, "Whoever divorces his wife andmarries another, commits adultery against her, and if shedivorces her husband and marries another, she commitsadultery" (Mk 10:11-12). Since this situation objectivelycontradicts God's law, they cannot receive Eucharist.Reconciliation through Penance can be granted only if they livein complete continence (as brother and sister).

Many in this situation remain in the Church, practice their faithand bring up their children religiously. They must be encouragedby the parish not to see themselves as separated from theChurch. They must persevere in prayer and bring up theirchildren in the Catholic faith, each day imploring God's grace.


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Open to Children

Marriage, by its nature, has the goals of theprocreation and education of children (the crowningglory of marriage). "Be fruitful and multiply" (Gen

1:28). Although having other goals, married lovedisposes the spouses in a special way to cooperate withthe Creator to increase his family.

Parents are the first educators of their children, and

must give them the fruits of a moral and supernaturallife. Marriage and family are at the service of life.

Even spouses who cannot conceive can have a conjugallife filled with the fruitfulness of charity and sacrifice.

conjugal love

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