Basic Realities of Marriage

Marriage: A Profound Reality

 Do you have an adequate knowledge of

this state of life?
What is your perception of marriage?
Is marriage a human institution or a divine
institution?
Marriage is a love covenant between man
and woman. What is your view about this?
Is marriage a private affair between the
husband and wife?

Basic Realities of Marriage

A Secular and Sacred Reality

A Human and Divine Institution
A State and an Event
A Contract and Covenant
A Personal Affair and a Social
Institution

A Secular and Sacred Reality

A Secular reality but linked with
the divine (Schillebeeckx)
Marriage is celebrated within a
sacred ritual revealing perception
that is not exclusively a human
affair.
A secular reality = it is a reality of
creation but that reveals its sacred
character.

A Secular and Sacred Reality

Early Christians = mysterion, a
sacrament: a sign of higher and a
sacred reality
Perception finds its full
development when Church
declared that marriage is one of
the seven sacraments

A Human and Divine Institution

Marriage in Theological tradition is
considered as a duty of nature = it is
ordained to the task of procreation
Marriage is naturally human because
out of their own free wills man and
woman enter into a union of life and
love.
CCC: it is not purely a human
institution = it is the work of God
Himself to correct misconception that
married couples are on their own.

A Human and Divine Institution

Casti Conubii (Pius XI): If one has
contracted matrimony he/she is subject
to it divinely made laws and essential
properties.
Gaudium et Spes: God himself is the
author of matrimony and gave it with
various benefits and purposes.
It demands that not only two to make
it happen, but three God, male and
female who are all in love with one
another.

A State and an Event

CFC: Being and also a becoming in that state
= to become implies a life-long process which
only began on their wedding day, of gradual
transformation of an I and a Thou into a
We (1886)
Marriage is in fact a lifetime project of the
couple to bring about the many realities and
values of married life (matrimonium in facto
esse)
Marriage can also be an event (matrimonium in
fieri)
A full blossoming of that togetherness cannot
be definitely achieved on wedding day but
demands continuous nurturing of love.

A Contract and Covenant

Contract = mutual agreement of two
persons with all legal nuances which
may not fully capture the rich meaning
of marital life.
Covenant = expresses the rationale why
the couple decide to bring their lives
together. It is love that seeks their union
and in turn seeks to fulfill the lovecovenant.

A Contract and Covenant

Pag-Iisang Dibdib vs. Pag-Aasawa
Love-covenant in marriage
takes place only between man
and a woman;
in the complementarity of their
sexuality;
ordained towards union and
procreation.

A Personal Affair and a

Social Institution
Marriage cannot be sought in terms
of a personal matter like sexual life,
relationship between husband and
wife;
Other factors that determine
marriage and family: education,
economics, property, social security,
public morals etc..

A Personal Affair and a

Social Institution
Marriage needs the support of the
community. Community laws
protect the rights and privileges of
individuals within marriage.
It is in the midst of such threats
that the couple needs a source of
strength and grace that can be
channeled to them by the believing
community, the Church.

Now are you ready to face

the complexities of human
reality?
Marriage is not a magic solution
to falling in love
Be open-minded
Reflect on what God tells us about
marriage

End