SHORT REVIEW

y How

is marriage a covenant? y How is the love of a husband and wife similar to the love of Christ to the Church? y How should a husband treat his wife? wife to her husband?

Like any other sacraments, Matrimony is also celebrated with a rite and symbols that gives deeper meaning to the celebration of marriage.

JESUS IN THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY

In all the other sacraments, Jesus acts through the ordained ministers to offer the grace of the sacrament.

Priest or deacon does not marry the couple. The bride and groom marry each other. Jesus acts through the couple and through their promise to always love and be true to each other. The priest or deacon is the official witness of the Sacrament Matrimony and he blessed their union.

Marriage like Holy Orders is a vocation or a call from God. In reality there is only one call and that is love. To love can mean many things. It is important to know what couple promised to each other when they took each other as husband and wife so that we can contribute to the formation of a united and happy family.

THE MARRIAGE RITE AND SYMBOLS

The celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony takes place within the Mass. The Rite of Marriage takes place after the Gospel is read.

a. The Priest asks the couple three questions: Are they free to give themselves in marriage? Will they love and honor each other as husband and wife for the rest of their lives. Will they lovingly accept children from God and raise them in faith

b. Exchange of Vows I take you to be my husband/ wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad times, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life.

c. Receiving the consent, the priest says: 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 separate.

d. Blessing and exchange of rings (symbols of their life-long love and fidelity) e. Giving of the arrhae (symbol of the husbands dedication for the welfare of his wife) f. Putting on of veil (symbol that God consecrates the union of the couple. It also symbolizes the mantle of Gods protection to them through the Church)

g. Placing of the cord over the veil (symbol of oneness and co-responsibility of the couple in married life)

The Eucharist continues then after the praying of the Lords Prayer

h. Nuptial blessing The priest blesses the couple and asks God to bless them and keep them together in love. Together, the married couple offers themselves to God during the Mass. They receive Holy Communion to show that they Risen Christ is with them.

The Eucharist ends with a special blessing for the newly married couple and the rest of the community. In the Sacrament of Matrimony, the bride and the bridegroom minister the Sacrament of Matrimony to each other. The priest is the official witness to their marriage.

We Respond. How can we help our parents to fulfill their marriage vows to each other?

BIG QUESTIONS
y What

is the place of Jesus in the marriage of a man and a woman? y How is marriage a vocation from God? y What are the meanings behind the symbols in the Sacrament of Matrimony?

Our Prayer
We thank God for the gift of the Sacrament of Matrimony and we pray for all married couples.

Sources
y Llarenas,

Milagros. CLE 5 Workbook. Xavier School.