God Gave Marriage to Us

“God created in his image… male and female he crated them”, He blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply”. (Gen 1:27-28)

On the threshold of his public life Jesus performs his first sign – at His mother’s request – during a wedding feast. The Catholic Church attaches great importance to Jesus, presence at the wedding at Cana. She sees in it the confirmation of the goodness of marriage and the proclamation that marriage will always be a sign of Christ’s presence (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1613)

Marriage was not created by a government or religious institution. It is universally recognized by any measure you choose – legal, historical, social, psychological, religious, or anthropological. In fact, it existed long before governments and the law. The reality of marriage is recognized and protected by law for the greater good of individuals and society.

Under all the aspects mentioned above, marriage has been known as an institution in which a man and woman are joined together by a public vow for their mutual benefit and for procreation and education of the children that may spring from their union. Marriage has been upheld in this manner, in all democracies throughout recorded history. Canada is no exception.

As recently as December 2002, Supreme Justice Gonthier, in the case of Nova Scotia vs. Walsh, wrote:

Marriage and existed long before any legislature decided to regulate them. For centuries they have central to society, contributing to its social cohesion and fundamental structure…. Marriage and the family promote the psychological, social and economic well-being of all members of the family unit.

“A wedding is a day; a marriage is a lifetime.”

Marriage’s gifts to us

A gift of grace
As all sacraments, marriage gives grace to strengthen and support the married couple in their new journey. “It is not a magic wand that takes away all difficulties, but a free gift from God that perfects the love of husbands and wives for each other so that it might more and more reflect the love Christ has for His Church.” (Marriage Matters, the Catholic Organization for Life and Family, 2004)

Marriage makes sense of sex
Although a sexual relationship between a man and woman is an intimate, private matter, the man and woman belong to a family, a community and a society. As a public institution marriage validates the sexual union between the spouses themselves and in the eyes of their family members, friends and their community at large.
“ Marriage signifies the maturity of the union between a man and woman, to testify that theirs is a love on which a lasting union and family can be based.” (Karol Wojtyla, Love & Responsibility)

Catholics understand human persons belong not only to themselves, but also to the Creator. As such, they seek to present and to ratify their union of love before God the Father and open their hearts to His presence in their marriage.

Children give marriage its unique character
No other human relationship can naturally co-create a new human life. Although human life can be conceived outside of marriage, and some couples who are married can not conceive, these are exceptions that do not define marriage. The fact the new human life is possible gives the spouses the exclusive right to sexual union; the total self-giving of the one to the other. Their openness to life is essential to maintaining the marriage as God intendeds it.
“ acceptance of the possibility of procreation in the marital relationship safeguards love and is un indispensable condition of a truly personal union.”(Karol Wajtyla, Love & Responsibility)
Thorough a child conceived within marriage turns the couple into a family, a marriage that is childless, through no fault of the couple, retains its full value as an institution. The relationship of spouses remains a distinct spiritual reality, a community of two persons.

A lifelong covenant
Total fidelity from the spouses and an unbreakable union between them is necessary for the good of both of the marriage of the children. The indissolubility of marriage is vital to the survival of the family and consequently society as a whole. It is Christ Himself who gives the strength and grace to couples to live out this responsibility in our present times.

"Through the witness of the spouses marriage can become Good News, contributing greatly to the new evangelization and ensuring the future of society."

Preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage