MATRIMONY

SACRAMENT of:

A CELEBRATION OF COMMITMENT AND LOVE Matrimony is the sacrament of human

love that Jesus Christ raised to a real efficacious symbol of His love for the Church.

SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY Marriage as a Sacrament

Marriage as a Covenant Effects of Marriage Indissolubility of Marriage Impediments to Matrimony Symbols of Marriage Rite of the Sacrament of the Matrimony The Church Says…

MARRIAGE AS A SACRAMENT

MARRIAGE AS A SACRAMENT After God created man and woman, He blessed them and shared with them His power to create. “ Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it (Gen. 1:28) Jesus’ first public act was to sanction marriage and to reaffirm its dignity (Marriage feast at Cana- Jn. 2:1-12) The mutual exchange of vows and the exchange of rings are the sign of the sacrament:

● vows- proclaim their special love for each other publicly and promise to be faithful to each other forever ● rings- signs of the nuptial vows and visual reminders of the mutual promises of love and faith.

MARRIAGE AS A SACRAMENT The bond of union between husband and wife is an image of the bond of union between and His Church , the bond is one of perfect unity, fidelity, and indissolubility; St. Peter states the comparison as follow:

The husband is head of the wifejust as Christ is the head of the Church…

Even so, husbands oughtto love their wives as their own bodies.

He who loves his wife, loves himself.Now no one ever hates his own flesh; on the contrary, he who nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the Church, because we are members of His body (Eph. 5:23-30)

MARRIAGE AS A SACRAMENT Through the Sacrament of Matrimony, the Catholic Church gives an effective sign of Jesus transforming the couple’s mutual love into a revelation of God’s love and n active participation in the New Covenant.

It is a sacrament because it is a sign and manifestation of God’s infinite love. The outward and sensible signs of the sacraments are the couple’s mutual exchange of vows and the giving of the ring.

MARRIAGE AS A COVENANT

MARRIAGE AS A COVENANT It is a covenant or sacred agreement where the partnership requires 100% effort from both partiesIn this covenant, both parties give to each other unconditional love- a love that last forever, is freely given, and has no strings attached. Thus the couple trust each other totally and give themselves without holding back. Jesus makes this relationship clear to the Pharisees when they ask Him about divorce. He tells them in no uncertain terms:

MARRIAGE AS A COVENANT Have you not read that at the beginning, the Creator made them male and female and declared, “For this reason man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two shall become as one. Thus, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, let no man separate what God has joined (Mt. 19: 4-6)

Through His answer to the Pharisees, Jesus teaches that the state of marriage is characterized by three qualities, namely:

● unity- which means that one man is united to one woman

MARRIAGE AS A COVENANT ● fidelity- which means that both parties keep the

promises of marriage by reserving their love entirely and exclusively for the other

● indissolubility- which means that the marriage bond is not broken until the death of one of the partners.

In the marriage image used by the Old Testament, God is the bridegroom, and His Chosen people, the brideJesus makes it clear that marriage has sacred status with a supernatural dignity. It is a covenant because it is a sacred agreement of a 100% commitment from both contracting parties to support each other all the way in all circumstances.

EFFECTS OF MARRIAGE

EFFECTS OF MARRIAGE1. THE MARRIAGE BOND

From a valid marriage, there arises a bond between the spouses. By its very nature, this bond is perpetual and exclusive because the consent the spouses mutually give and receive is sealed by God Himself. Thus, the marriage bond can never be dissolved (CCC 1639-1640)

EFFECTS OF MARRIAGE2. INCREASE OF SANCTIFYING GRACE

Through their union with Jesus, the marriage couple get the special help of God for the wisdom, patience and faith needed to face the problems, duties and responsibilities of married life.

3. HELP FOR MARRIED PARTNERS TO BECOME BETTER CHRISTIANS

Married couples are signs of God’s love. Every act of concern, intimacy, and giving between husband and wife is a grace by which God manifests His Goodness.

EFFECTS OF MARRIAGE

Matrimony is an unending source of the grace needed for the proper exercise of the many functions of marriage- begetting and bringing up of children; mutual exchange of love, fidelity, and comfort; and maintenance of a family.

INDISSOLUBILITY OF MARRIAGE

INDISSOLUBILITY OF MARRIAGESt. Paul says: To those who are married, not I, but the Lord

commands that a wife is not to separate from her husband, and if she does separate, she must remain unmarried or become reconciled to her husband. And let not a husband put away his wife ( Cor. 7:10-11)

Jesus says: What… God has joined together, let no man put asunder

(Mt. 19:6). He says further, Everyone who puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery and he who marries a woman who has been put away from her husband commits adultery (Lk.16:18)

INDISSOLUBILITY OF MARRIAGETHUS, FOLLOWING THE TEACHING OF JESUS, THE BOND OF MATRIMONY LAST UNTIL THE DEATH OF ONE OF THE PARTNERS.

Some reasons for the indissolubility of marriage are: To preserve the unity and sacred character of

marriage To provide for the proper upbringing of children

which cannot be obtained if divorce were permitted

INDISSOLUBILITY OF MARRIAGE However, a non-consummated marriage between

two baptized persons or between a baptized and an unbaptized person may be dissolved for very grave cause either by the solemn religious profession of either party or by papal dispensation

The Church does not force couples to continue living together even if they cannot agree peaceably, the Church may declare separation when there is a grave cause like adultery, heresy, threats on the life of the other, etc but it does not cut the valid marital bond

IMPEDIMENTS TO MATRIMONY

IMPEDIMENTS TO MATRIMONYIMPEDIMENTS- are obstacles or restrictions imposed by

the law of God or the Church for the welfare of the society and for the protection of the matrimonial bond

Some of the impediments to marriage are:1. An existing marriage2. Coercion3. Below age requirement4. Blood relationship5. Close affinity6. Holy Orders, solemn vows, simple vows7. Disparity of worship

IMPEDIMENTS TO MATRIMONYSome of the impediments to marriage are:

8. Spiritual affinity9. Legal relationship10. Other impediments

The Church has established impediments whenever circumstances incompatible with the

Sacrament of Matrimony exist.

SYMBOLS OF MATRIMONY

SYMBOLS OF MATRIMONY1. WEDDING VEIL

It denotes a deep level of agreement – a sacred oneness. It symbolizes the union of two matured individuals who vow to love and respect each other for eternity.The veil is pinned above the girl’s head representing submission of herself to her husband’s leadership. While the other side of the veil is pinned on the man’s shoulder symbolizing the responsibility he has to bear as the caretaker of the family’s welfare.

2. WEDDING CORD It represents strength. As it is being placed over the veil, it strengthens the couple’s union and it also signifies the kind of spirituality they should have as husband and wife, and as future parents to their children.

SYMBOLS OF MATRIMONY3. WEDDING CANDLES It symbolizes the light of Jesus Christ, the same light that we all should have within us. The lighting of the candles during a wedding is a simple reminder that we should forever have the light of Christ in our lives and that we should keep that holy fire burning in our hearts. There are two candles, one at the groom’s side and one at the bride’s side. This is to remind the couple that it is their utmost duty to remind each other of God’s light – that if there are circumstances that might compromise one’s spirituality, the other should bring him/her back to God’s light.

SYMBOLS OF MATRIMONY4. WEDDING COINSIt simply means prosperity and wealth for the marrying couple. It suggests that the bride and the groom should support each other not only morally and spiritually but also financially.Traditionally, we use 13 coins which stand for Jesus Christ and His twelve apostles. These coins are blessed first, before the groom gives it to the bride, which signifies his pledge of sincerely providing for her and their future family’s welfare.

5. WEDDING RINGSIt represents the solemn promise of forever. Its round shape personifies the eternal love of the marrying couple for each other.

SYMBOLS OF MATRIMONY6. HOLY BIBLEFor Christians, the holy bible is considered part of the wedding symbols as it represents the couple’s devotion and commitment to learning more about God’s word. God should always and forever be the foundation of marriage.

RITE OF THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY

RITE OF THE MATRIMONY Marrying couples are encouraged to receive the Sacrament of Marriage in the context of the Holy Mass shat the relationship between married love and the covenant that Jesus made can become more manifest.

I. INTRODUCTIONThe priest addresses the bride and groom: my dear friends, you have come together in this Church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Church’s minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now He enriches and strengthens you

RITE OF THE MATRIMONY by a special sacrament so that you may assume the duties

of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions.

II. STATEMENT OF INTENTIONS Priest questions the couple: ______ and ______, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage? Will you love each other as man and wife for rest of your lives? Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and His Church? (The couple will answer the questions separately)

RITE OF THE MATRIMONYIII. CONSENT The priest invites the couple to declare their consent. PRIEST: Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and His Church. (They join hands.) GROOM: I, (name), take you, (name), to be my 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 days of my life. BRIDE: I, (name), take you, (name), to be my husband. 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 days of my life.

RITE OF THE MATRIMONYIV. RECEPTION OF CONSENT The priest receives their consent for the whole Church: You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in His goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with His blessings. What God has joined, men must not divide. PEOPLE: Amen.

V. EXCHANGE OF RINGS PRIEST: May the Lord bless these rings which you give to each other as the sign of your love and fidelity ALL: Amen GROOM: (name), take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. BRIDE: (name), take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

RITE OF THE MATRIMONY The Liturgy of the Eucharist follows the rite of marriage. After the Our Father, the bride and the groom are given the nuptial blessing. As newlyweds, they receive communion and are sent forth with God’s blessing.

The consent by which the spouses mutually give and receive one another is sealed by God Himself. Thus, the marriage bond between baptized persons can never be dissolved. This bond, which results from the free human act of the spouses is a reality, henceforth irrevocable, and it gives rise to a covenant guaranteed by God’s fidelity.

THE CHURCH SAYS…

THE CHURCH SAYS… Marriage is a unique sacrament in that the vocation of marriage itself is a foundational human reality built into the very created nature of man and woman with its own profound meaning, even before the teaching of any specific religion. It is unique also in that whereas other sacraments use material things like water, bread, wine, oil, in marriage the “external sign” is the love relationship between the spouses. Moreover, among all human love relationships, none rivals the life-long commitment of conjugal intimacy and self-giving of the married partners.

cf. CFC 1881

THE CHURCH SAYS… God, ever faithful to His covenant of love, included marriage and family in His redemptive plan. The Old Testament prophets by using marriage as symbol of God’s covenant with His Chosen People, had already pictured marriage as a covenant which should imitate God’s own fidelity…But it was only through Jesus Christ that the “covenant of human love”, symbol of God’s love for His people in creation, could be raised to become the sacrament of the New Covenant of Christ’s redemptive love with His people, the Church.

cf. CFC 1888

THE CHURCH SAYS… The Sacrament of matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the Church. It gives spouses the grace to love each other with the love with which Christ has loved His Church; the grace of the sacrament thus perfects the human love of the spouses, strengthen their indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on the way to external life.

CCC 1661

GOD BLESS…