Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 21st Sunday of Ordinary time.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! The sacrament of Holy Marriage is treated by the Catechism of the Catholic Church in eight (8) In Brief passages. The following is a reflection on article 1661.
Some people sadly see Marriage as only a human construct, discounting both the divine origins of the human race and of Holy Marriage. People of faith, followers of Jesus Christ recognize that the Sacrament of Marriage has its’ signification from God. The union of husband and wife is a relationship unlike any other.
Sacramentally, the primary signification of Holy Marriage is the union of Christ and His Church. Christ is the bridegroom of His bride Mother Church. In Holy Baptism we are born anew from the font which is akin to the womb of the Church. Building upon the graces received in Baptism, Christian husbands and wives receive further graces flowing from their valid exchange of the vows of Holy Marriage, such that, they mirror the bond which exists between the Lord and His mystical body.
The Catechism highlights four (4) specific graces popper to the Sacrament of Marriage which we should consider.
The first grace proper to Holy Marriage allows the spouses to love with the love with which Christ has loved His Church. Christ’s love for His Church is a faithful love, a fruitful love, a love unto death. Thanks to the grace given to the husband and wife when the validly profess the holy vows of Holy Marriage their love is consecrated and divinized, that is, made holy.
A second grace proper to Holy Marriage perfects the human love of the spouses. What is proper to the human love of spouses? What draws this man and this woman together to form a life long bond? Human love begins for some people with an appreciation of the sense of humor, or the intelligence, or appearance, shared experiences… Like the chef Emeril Lagasse, who is famous for putting in spices, BAM!, so the grace of God takes the natural human love to the next level. It is opportune here to recall the basic teaching of Saint Thomas Aquinas, OP, on grace in general, that in our fallen state we need grace in order to heal our nature, in order to entirely abstain from sin and that grace presupposes nature (cf. ST I-II, Q.109, A. 2, 8).
A third grace proper to Holy Marriage affirms the indissoluble unity of the spouses. The holy vows of Holy Marriage are for life, “until death do we part.” Perseverance, is difficult, but possible with God’s grace.
A fourth grace proper to Holy Marriage is the sanctification of the spouses on their way to eternal life. When husband and wife are faithful to each other and to the holy vows of Holy Marriage Heaven awaits them. To be sanctified is to be holy. The saints are those who lived holy lives and were repentant for their sins and died in a state of grace.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr