The Catechism and the Sacrament of Marriage

Introduction
In looking at the sacrament of Matrimony, in the light of being both a sacrament of faith and a sacrament of
salvation, it is interesting to note that the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to it as being at the service
of communion. By this, it means that it is directed towards the salvation of others, (CCC 1534). It is through
this service to the spouse, that the sacrament may contribute as well to personal salvation.
Sacrament of faith
The first point the Catechism makes in this section is that the sacrament presupposes faith and also nourishes
and strengthens it (CCC 1123), which is why it is called a sacrament of faith. The People of God are formed into
one by the preaching of the Word that is required for the sacramental ministry itself, as the sacraments are
sacraments of faith and draw their origin and nourishment from the Word. In the Sacrament of Matrimony, the
liturgy of the Word together with the ministers homily, which extends its proclamation, is an integral part of
the sacramental celebration; nourishing the faith of the couple, and strengthening their understanding of the
commitments they are making (CC 1123). Initially of course, whatever has drawn the couple to want to marry,
their Christian faith, whether strong or otherwise, calls them to marry in the Catholic Church, before the
witness of a priest. There they will minister the sacrament one to the other, in the words and liturgies laid down
by Mother Church. Their faith will hopefully have been strengthened by adequate pre-marriage preparation
where a full explanation of Gods plan for marriage will have been opened up for them. This too will have
included the opening of the Word, as the Word feeds the faith that is needed, and forms the couple in order
that they can receive the sacrament.
In looking at the faith of the two individual believers here, the Catechism also draws our attention to the fact
that faith is also communal: the Churchs faith preceding that of the individuals who are invited to adhere to it
(CCC 1124). As the Church celebrates the Sacrament of Matrimony, she confesses the faith received from the
apostles. This is important as most couples marry because they are in love. This is a decision based primarily on
feelings, and perhaps not a decision in which they are aware of all the richness of marriage that Tertullian
encapsulates so beautifully: the happiness of a marriage joined by the Church, strengthened by an offering,
sealed by a blessing, announced by angels and ratified by the Father The faith of the Church through
teaching can enrich the couples perception of marriage, and encourage them to see the fullness of Gods plan in
all its beauty. To understand that the graces proper to Matrimony are intended to perfect their love and
faithfulness, and to help lead each other to attain holiness, and overcome the human weaknesses of selfishness
and egoism. It can also help them to see their home as the setting for religious and moral formation for
themselves and their children.
Sacrament of salvation
Matrimony, in common with all the sacraments, has been instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church to
enable divine life to be dispensed to us by the visible rites by which the sacrament is celebrated. The Catechism
teaches us that God established marriage in the beginning, by creating man and woman with a complementary
spousal nature, enabling them to make a total selfgift of themselves to one another, the two becoming one
flesh. (Gen. 2:24); but, through the Fall, selfishness and egoism became established in the relationship.
However, Christ came to renew humanity and made it possible to learn to truly love again with his helpthe
only path to salvation. In marriage therefore, couples are called to a discipline of mutual total self-giving, to be
of service to one another, and to help in leading their spouse along the path to salvation, and by so doing
contributing to their own, (CCC 1534).
A sacrament is a sign that points beyond itself to something else; we see then in marriage the love of the couple,
points to the love of God. The sacrament acts ex opere operato, that is it confers grace by the very fact of the
actions being performed (Council of Trent DS 1608), which in this case, is the total self-giving love of the
spouses for one another. These graces are conferred by virtue of the saving work of Christ, and are irrespective
of the holiness or otherwise of the ministers of the sacramentthe couple themselves.
In considering marriage as a sacrament of salvation then, we see that it is very much at the heart of revelation
and of Gods plan for his creation. The marriage of Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:27, 2:2025), can only be fully
understood in the light of the final marriage between God and his people (Rev. 21:13, 22:17), and the Church
has consequently seen marriage in the light of what God has revealed about this final marriage to the Lord. This
same sign is seen throughout the scriptures, where in the Old Testament, Gods love for Israel is spoken of in
terms of marriage (e.g. Hosea 2:420), as is Christs love for his Church in the New Testament, where Christ is
referred to as the Bridegroom (e.g. Mat. 9:15, 25:13).
We learn also from the Council of Trent that sacraments confer the grace they signify (DS1606). That is that
firstly, they are signs, inferring that they point beyond themselves to something else. Secondly, that they
confer the particular grace that that sacrament signifies. So sacraments are much more than signs inspiring us
and leading us to God, they actually bring God to us. Sacraments having been instituted by Christ and entrusted
to his Church, enable divine life to be dispensed to us by the visible rites by which they are celebrated. The
Father always hears the prayers of his Sons Church whichexpresses her faith in the power of the Spirit. (CCC
1127).
As the signs of marriage are effective and confer the particular graces that the sacrament signifies (Council of
Trent DS 1606), a couples love for one another draws them into the love that Christ has for the Church. They
are transformed and enabled to love as he loves, and be in turn ever more able to be signs of his love for the
Church and the world. The graces of the sacrament further help the couple to attain holiness in their married
life and in welcoming and educating their children ( Lumen Gentium 112). Christ dwells with them, gives
them the strength to take up their crosses and so follow him, to rise again after they have fallen, to forgive one
another, to bear one anothers burdens, and to be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ (CCC
1642). Truly the path to salvation!
Although God is always present in the sacrament of matrimony, the couple need however to be open to receive
the grace he wants to give. If this is ignored and the couple are unresponsive, he cannot help them. A lack of
consent to be totally open would make the sacrament null and void: for example a marriage contracted under
duress.
As Christians, the sacramentsincluding marriageare the most appropriate and necessary way that God has
provided for our salvation; through them the Spirit heals and transforms, and the faithful become partakers in
the divine nature in a living union with Christ (CCC 1129). Ultimately our hope is that we will be brides of the
one Bridegroom in the Heavenly Marriage.