Chapter Three

Marriage in Gods Plan

Introduction
Rank what you think would be the greatest benefits of married life. Tell about how a relationship of yours helped you to overcome self-absorption, egoism, or pursuit of your own pleasure. When you are in a new situation, what skills do you use to make friends

Introduction
What does the phrase in love mean in your peer group? What is your best reason for practicing chastity? How would your peers react to a teen who chooses chastity? What are some things you can control right now to give you a greater chance for a happy and healthy marriage?

Lesson Outline
Preparing for Marriage in Gods Plan
1.Benefits and Purpose of Married Life 2.Marriage in the Bible 3.Love and Other Elements of Relationships 4.Vocation to Chastity 5.Choices Leading to Marriage

Activity 1
Marriage Musing
For each musing circle the phrase on the continuum that best describes your opinion. (see separate sheet)

Benefits and Purpose of Married Life

Marriage is always necessary as a means for procreation of the human race and for the wholesome and proper raising of children God made marriage good because he created the world and everything in it to be good

Jesus raised marriage to the dignity of a sacrament

Benefits and Purpose of Married Life

Purposes of marriage:

Procreation/ Raising of Children

Willingness of spouses to give themselves to each other Sharing Family Life Sexual intimacy Companionship Friendship

Marriage in the Bible

The catechism teaches that God created man and woman together and willed each for the other Man and woman are created equal as a communion of persons, equal to one another, and complementary as masculine and feminine

Man and woman are to be stewards of God, caring for the earths resources

Influence of Sin
The struggles that married couples face are all a result of sin
Some examples of these are domination, infidelity, and jealousy

To heal the wounds of sin, a man and woman rely on the help of Gods grace, which in his infinite mercy he extends to them Since the first sin, marriage has helped couples overcome self-absorption and choose to be selfgiving with another

Introduction of the Law

The Israelites married mostly within their local tribe There was no wedding or religious rite that marked the marriage An engaged woman was considered legally married

When the marriage was consummated, the husband received the wife and the family of the wife received a dowry
Dowry: money or property considered compensation for the loss of the daughter

New Covenant and Marriage

As Jesus began his public life, his first miracle was at the wedding at Cana The miracle was a statement of the goodness of marriage

It was a statement that from then on, marriage would be an efficacious sign of His presence

New Covenant and Marriage

Marriage was to be indissoluble to death What God has joined together, no human being must separate In the same way that Christ loves the Church, husbands and wives love each other with faithfulness that does not end until death

ACTIVITY 2: Love or Infatuation

What is it? Love or infatuation? Mark with an L the words and phrases that you think describe love. Mark those you think describe infatuation with an I. If you think a word or phrase could apply to either or both, mark LI. Finally, add two phrases of your own, one describing love, the other infatuation. Mark them accordingly.

Love and Other Relationships

The way in which many people talk about being in love would be more aptly described as being infatuated with one another Infatuations are usually short in duration whereas true love lasts Two elements make up human relationships:
Friendship Exploitation

Infatuation and Friendships

Friendship is often comfortable and easy, and based on mutual trust, understanding, and enjoyment of one another Friendship is not exclusive or possessive Filial love is a connection that can last a lifetime but is not romantic; most friendships are this type of love

Infatuation and Friendships

A romantic infatuation involves sexual attraction or sexual feelings While they can be normal and exciting, they can be dangerous if a person decides to become sexually intimate with someone based only on infatuation Exploitation refers to a relationship that is based in selfishness This occurs when one person takes what he or she can get without showing respect or concern for the other person

Vocation to Chastity
Marriage involves the total self-giving of a husband and wife to each other both emotionally and physically Sex is both unitized and procreative in marriage

Chastity is the moral virtue under the cardinal virtue of temperance that helps us to moderate our desires for sexual pleasure
The virtue of chastity integrates a persons sexuality with his or her whole being

Vocation to Chastity
Chastity gives you the freedom from: Guilt, doubt, worry, regret Sexually transmitted diseases Being used by others Pregnancy Chastity gives you the freedom to: Have many relationships Develop self-respect and selfcontrol Find a mate who values you for the person you are

As with most other areas of life living chastely comes down to backing up your verbal promise and commitment with your actions

Vocabulary
Sexual Fidelity Dowry Efficacious Exploitation Filial Love Temperance