Marriage A vocation
Chapter 12 p. 256
The Gift of the Magi
• p.258
What does getting married involve for us?
United States Wedding Culture
• Wedding Money: What Does the Average Wedding Cost?• Q.• What is the cost of an average wedding today? I've heard it's
around $20,000. Is this off base?• A.• Though it depends on where you live, that figure's really not that
far off -- it's actually a little low. In a recent survey conducted by The Knot, it was revealed that the average wedding is now about $27,800. However, bear in mind that weddings cost more in large urban areas. This figure also includes those lucky brides and grooms who get $40,000-and-up weddings thrown for them, so that does slightly bring up the average.
What does the sacrament of marriage celebrate?
1. Mutual Self Giving2. Faithfulness3. Becoming one’s real self4. Creativity
Mutual Self Giving p.261
• God is revealed • GOD is revealed in human love and friendship• God is the source of all love and this is evident
specifically in marriage• Jesus’ sacrifice of his life heals, transforms
and nurtures human existence.
Marriage is a gift of self…freely bestowed..
• WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE MUCH TO OFFER ANOTHER PERSON AND DESERVE THAT PERSON’S RESPECT IN RETURN
• It is not about the ring, the dress, the status,• This continues to our children ..we are trapped in a
consumerism mindset• The Christian version of marriage is focused on the
gift of self• Sexual intercourse is only for marriage because it is
done within the total commitment framework of marriage
Covenant
• Is a solemn promise between 2 parties
# 2 The Faithfulness of a CovenantChrist and his Church are the models
• Sexual Fidelity• Permanence • Constancy• Loving Confrontation• Lived Values
# 3 Becoming One’s Real Self
• Married partners become persons they neer would have become if they were not married to each other
• God has “given” them to each other to fulfill their own destiny
# 4 Creativity
• Sharing love and selves with others so not to become stagnate and self absorbed
• Children are a blessing and are central to the meaning of a Catholic marriage
• Where faith is nurtured IN THE FAMILY• A spirit of welcoming and hospitality to
making God’s love and peace a reality in the world.
The Ritual: Symbolic Actions and Words
• The couple is the PRIMARY symbol ..they are the MINISTERS of the sacrament! Not the priest.
• Sexual Relationship is the most powerful ritual which brings children into your life
• The community of people is a symbol of the support and presence of the community
The Ritual is Adaptable
• Mass or no Mass• Location
When would it be a good idea not to have a wedding mass?
Common elements
Liturgy of the wordConsent (without free consent the marriage
DOES NOT EXIST) Blessing and Exchange of the ringsNuptial blessingsFinal Blessing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Sgdy60MpI
Customs and Traditions
Personalize the wedding, music, readings, etc.Cultural variations …read 276Ancient roots
Matrimony’s History
• From the beginning Christians viewed marriage as sacred.
• Marriages took place as part of your particular culture
• Couples asked Bishops to bless their marriage• 7th to 11th Centuries—church becomes more
involved….why?
History continued…
• By the 13th century marriage was viewed as a sacrament
• Although marriage was sacred in the early church a man was allowed to divorce his wife if she was unfatihfull… but not visa versa…WHATTTTT???????
• TG Sts. Augustine and Ambrose set things straight in the 4th century
Annulment and Divorce
• The Church recognizes that sometimes a marriage is not a “valid” sacrament.
DishonestyMental or psychological issuesThe church will “annul” the marriage because
the marriage never existed “sacramentally”
Divorce
• A divorce dissolves a marriage that existed.• It is granted by civil authorities.
• The Catholic Church maintains that a valid sacramental marriage cannot be DISOLVED or ANNULLED.
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