Continued ☝🏽
The Preparation for Marriage
If we are to live together in holy matrimony according to God’s will, we must prepare ourselves through:
Reading the Holy Scriptures – So that we may understand God’s design for marriage.
Fasting and Prayer – To discipline the body and purify the soul.
Receiving the Holy Mysteries – The Eucharist strengthens us against temptation and sanctifies our union.
If there are those who, though desiring marriage, delay out of fear of public opinion, let them cast aside such worldly concerns. “But if a woman has reached the age of marriage and is ashamed of her virginity, let her do what she wants. And if she does marry, she has not sinned” (1 Cor. 7:36). It is better to marry in the fear of God than to remain unmarried for the sake of the opinions of men.
The Period of Engagement
Engagement is not yet marriage. It is a time of discernment and preparation, a pledge of future union but not yet the fulfillment thereof. It is a sacred time when the couple must guard their purity and avoid falling into sin.
The steps of engagement are as follows:
1. The couple must first inform their pastor and seek his blessing.
2. They must then declare their intention to their parents or guardians.
3. Only after these steps is the engagement established.
During this time, the couple must remember that engagement is not a license for marital relations. The body must be kept in purity until the sacrament of marriage is completed.
The Wisdom of the Church in Setting Order
The Church, in her divine wisdom, has set forth laws concerning engagement and marriage, ensuring that they are conducted in an orderly and righteous manner. Among these laws, we find:
The necessity of mutual consent.
The importance of an appropriate age difference to prevent discord.
The prohibition of marriages within seven generations to safeguard both physical and spiritual well-being.
When these divine principles are followed, marriage becomes a blessing and a path to salvation. But when they are neglected, the union may become a source of strife, sorrow, and even separation.
Conclusion: The Sacredness of Marriage
Marriage is not a matter to be taken lightly. It is a divine covenant, a sacred mystery, a union blessed by God. Let those who seek it do so in wisdom, in purity, and in faith. Let them prepare their hearts and their minds, so that when the time comes, they may enter into this holy estate with joy and righteousness.
May the Lord, who established the first marriage in Eden, grant wisdom and guidance to all who seek His will. May the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin and the power of the Cross be with us all, now and forever. Amen.
May the name of the Holy God be praised forever and ever in every tongue that He has created, today and always.
May the blessings of God's mother, the virgin, and the cross be upon us.
Amen.
© John's Repentance
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