Matrimony
The
sacrament of matrimony is also established by God. As a matter of fact, its
establishment was announced in the Old Testament. God created Adam and from the
side of Adam He created Eve. When Adam saw the woman, He said: "This at
last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man. Therefore a man leaves his father and his
mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh"(Genesis
2:23-24). God blessed the first-created and said: "Be fruitful and
multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it"(Genesis 1:28).
This
divine establishment of the sacrament was reaffirmed by Christ by His presence
at the wedding at Cana, and through what He said to the Pharisees who tested
Him. Christ said to them: "Have you not read that he who made them from
the beginning made them male and female, and said, `For this reason a man shall
leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become
one flesh'? So they are no longer two but one flesh" (Matthew 19:4-6).
With these words of Christ two things are reaffirmed. First, the physical unity
of male and female gender supports the sacrament of matrimony. Secondly, no one
should separate those whom God has joined.
This
sacrament is an icon and likeness of the mystical unity of the bridegroom,
Christ, with the bride, the Church, and this is how St. Paul presents it to us
when he says: "This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it
refers to Christ and the church"(Ephesians 5:32).
Therefore,
the Old and the New Testaments directly tell us of the sacrament of matrimony.
Regarding Holy Tradition, it suffices to refer to the words of St. Basil the
Great: "The nature of the bondage is a bond based on a blessing" and
St. Photios says that "what makes the betrothal a leading into marriage
acceptable by God is not the coming together, but the ceremony based on
prayers."
Our
Church recognizes obstacles to marriage. In other words, it does not allow
marriage between certain people. Specifically, it does not allow marriage
between people related by blood and those related in spirit. Prohibited
marriages are:
1.
Parents with their own children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren.
2.
Brothers-in-law with sisters-in-law.
3.
Uncles and aunts with nieces and nephews.
4.
First cousins with each other.
5.
Foster parents with foster children or foster children with the children of
foster parents.
6.
Godparents with godchildren or godparents with the parents of godchildren.
According
to the teaching of Christ, the sacrament of matrimony is indissoluble. For only
one reason is marriage dissolved and divorce granted. Let us listen to Christ:
"But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the
ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress"(Matthew 5:32).
For
the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony, two elements are required.
First, it is required that there be free consent on the part of the groom and
the bride. Secondly, a religious ceremony is required, performed by a bishop or
priest with canonical, apostolic succession.
A
civil marriage or one by common law is not recognized by the Church.
Christians
should keep all the laws of our Church regarding the sacrament of marriage so
that they do not sin, and so that they have the blessing of God for the
betrothed to live honourably and happily, and to raise children in "the
knowledge and teachings of the Lord."
Creator of all, Triune
God, You Who commanded that people be joined through the sacrament of
matrimony, and in this way mutually complement each other and multiply. You,
Lord, protect the family, for it is the nucleus of society. On it are supported
so many things. Do not allow the dissolution of any marriage. Bless, Lord, all
couples. Make them be mystically united in the bond of sincere love and in the
sacrament, just as Christ, the Bridegroom, is with His Bride, the Church. We
thank You, Lord.