In the Gospel, we see the discourse playing out between the sacramental bond of marriage, conjugal love, and the human person. Jesus is contrasting the purity of the original innocence of humanity to the sinfulness that is one of the consequences of the fallen nature of humanity.
In doing so, Jesus is confirming that human dignity is found in the image and likeness of God, which is found uniquely in humanity.
As you know, a man leaves his parents and cleaves to his wife. Through the sacramental bond, they become one flesh. This sacramental bond, joined by God, is divine in its unity and indissolubility. Regardless of what the world tries to tell us, humanity simply does not have the capacity to separate what God has joined.
Going back to the beginning, God created man to be male and female, both modes of mankind bear the divine image in the body. Male and female are meant to be the perfect gift of self to the other. A total gift of self in a reciprocal relationship.
This reciprocal relationship of deferential love is similar to that of the Holy Trinity. In fact, Holy Matrimony is meant to be a sacramental image of the Holy Trinity.
As you know, the Holy Trinity is a communion of persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is an eternal union of love. A love where each person is a total gift of self to the other. A love that is humble and self-deferential, putting the other before Himself.
That is the image in which God designed us. We are designed for that type of relationship…the relationship that is intended to be Holy Matrimony.
Regardless of what the world tries to tell us, Holy Matrimony is not the product of chance, evolution, or even human design. It is part of the sacramental plan of God for our salvation and sanctification.
It is through the mutual gift of the husband and wife to the other, a gift that is exclusive and specific to them alone, that develops the union of the two persons. Through this union, each person is perfected. They perfect one another through cooperation with God’s grace communicated through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
Incarnate Word's Marriage Enrichment Ministry creates opportunities to enrich our understanding of God's plan for us through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. The ministry offers several different types of programs and events throughout the year specifically for this purpose.
For those of you that are married, I highly encourage you to avail yourself to these resources that you may more fully realize the sacramental marriage that God intended for you from the beginning of time.
For those of you (or anyone in your families) that are having difficulty in your marriages, are in irregular relationships (such as married outside the Church), or perhaps suffering from divorce, separation, or even widowed; there is help and support for you as well. God’s love for us and the invitation to a life of grace is available for all. If you are suffering in one of these situations, please reach out for support.
All of that being said, we must always remember that the secular worldview tries to deny the divine nature of marriage in order to treat relationships as temporary and experimental. In doing so, the human dignity of those impacted is violated.
However, we know the truth. We know the truth of the sacramental worldview. We know the truth of the Gospel. We know the truth that reminds us of God's love for us. We know the truth that is made visible in a special way through the inseparable aspects of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
Let us renew our commitments to cooperate with God’s grace in our marriages (and really all of our relationships) in that we may be a sign of the glory of God to the world around us.
Thanks be to God.
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