Matrimony

Sacraments are always signs of God’s presence with us, God’s abiding love for us. The sacrament of Matrimony is the couple’s vocation—their call to holiness, in which they bring each other to know and understand God more fully.

The sign of the sacrament of Matrimony is the couple—the beauty of how they love one another speaks, not only to bride and the groom (husband and wife), but to the whole world of God’s great love. This sacrament begins on the wedding day with their consent and vows, but doesn’t end there. Married couples continue to live out their sacrament by saying, “I do” to each other each day of their married life together.

The love of our marriage partner can be a visible sign of God’s great love for all people. In marriage we want our partner to know:

• I have chosen you. You are special and unique and valued beyond measure.
• I promise to love you forever, no matter what.
• I will be there for you—to encourage you; to walk with you through good times and bad, sickness and health, for richer or poorer—anything.
• You can trust me with your deepest thoughts and feelings. I will be your confidant and best supporter. I want to understand and know you—even the parts you must choose to share with me. It’s all right—I love you, warts and all.
• I will forgive you…we can work things out.
• I want our relationship to become deeper and deeper over the years.

Can you see how these things mirror the way our God loves all people? This covenant relationship—loving no matter what—is the way God loves and calls couples to love in marriage. What a special gift it is for married couples to be a sign of God’s love and presence in the world by their loving each other!

Of course, living out this sacrament is not always easy. A good marriage doesn’t just happen; the couple needs to work to make it happen. Sometimes it takes a decision to love, especially when we don’t feel like it. It may mean putting our partner’s needs above our own. Both sacrifice and support are important elements of a good marriage. We can look to Jesus for the model of true love, which is all about self-giving, reaching out and forgiveness. When we marry, we think we know what love is, but through the course of our life together, we come to learn more deeply what love entails, as we strive to live out our sacrament together. Whenever we witness true loving, we can get a taste of God’s love in a very real and tangible way; we can “touch” God. As married couples, we can be that “sign” of God’s love for our partner, for our family, and for anyone whose life we touch.

The video below about Marriage (Matrimony) has been prepared by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to give a clear explanation of the theology and ritual of the sacrament.

Additional Resources

Catechism of the Catholic Church
Questions frequently asked by engaged couples
FAQs about Getting Married in the Catholic Church