Jews and Christians alike understand that God is the author of marriage. This truth is reflected both in Scripture (divine positive law) and in the fabric of creation itself (natural law). As Catholic Christians, we further view marriage as a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman. Marriage has always been a basic building block of human society. We see this in the Bible and in our society today, although there are many novelties which threaten this foundational relationship. We will often speak of marriage and the family as the “little church,” but it is also the basic cell for Western civilization. Marriage has both a social purpose as well as the higher moral and religious significance.
Filed under: Catholic, Marriage, Sacraments |
Blogger Priest 
Dear Fr Joe,
Whilst we may now have a better understanding of the permanence and demands of fidelity that marriage entails, we can not, unfortunately, turn to the Old Testament to justify that stance. Abraham, the forerunner of much we and the Jews claim a foundation had not only one wife but also a bit on the side, a bond woman, so that his two sons were from two different women. King David had something like 600 wives and probably as many concubines so we can not look towards him for justification.
We could, perhaps, look to the example set by a few Popes who were also married but also had concubines, both male and female and probably all sorts in between………….so we are back to the old maxim that seemed to hold true when I was at school: “Don’t do as I do but do as I tell you to do!!!”
And it was only Matthew that entered the exemption clause as far as I remember. I don’t think that Mark or Luke reported Jesus as giving that get out of goal free clause, and that might have been more to do with Matthew’s determination than the accurate reporting of Jesus’ exact words, but then that’s a dangerous philosophy to pursue as we might end up like Luther.
I have a piece of paper to say that I am ‘divorced’ but that was only signed by a magistrate and not, as with the two tablets of stone, written by the finger of God. And whilst I would defend Church teaching on the indisolubility of the Sacrament, I would also be highly critical of the apparant ease that the wealthy can obtain an annulment when the poor just have to sleep alone.
Also in the news today how the Cathedrals here in GB are running at a loss and Westminster Abbey (Protestant) actually charges an entry fee (what is your blog header????!!!!), and yet Westminster Cathedral (RC) as well as Norte Dame and Sacre Coeur in Paris always have open doors and just raise revenue selling indulgences as always to keep the wolf from the door. (I meant candles and lucky charms and not specifically indulgences, Oh yes, and Masses! on offer this week only $30 for three!)
With love as always,
Paul