A sacrament is something which uses visible, created things to reveal invisible, divine truths to us in such a way as to confer grace.
Matrimony is to be the ultimate expression of love between a man and a woman. Each sacrifices their own life for the sake of the other and for the union of the two, putting aside their own desires for the sake of the happiness and wellbeing of the other. The ultimate expression of this self-sacrificing love is when man and woman, united to each other in a permanant and unbreakable commitment, unite in sexual union and bring forth children. The children, who are the fruit of that perfect expression of self-sacrificing, committed, permanent love, come first. The desires and needs of the parents come second. At least that is the way it is supposed to work. And it was designed this way specifically by God.
God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
This is the way it works inside of the Trinity too. The author of Genesis wasn't just noting that there were two people who happened to be male and female, as if he was noting hair or eye color. God want's us to know something very profound here. That's why it is in the very front of the book. The rest of the story depends on the first chapter.
God the Father loves God the Son perfectly. God the Son offers himself continually to God the Father. Both are totally vulnerable to each other. Both have complete knowledge of each other, holding nothing back. Both give themselves freely to the other in selfless, committed and permanent love. Christ's sacrifice on the cross shows us the depths of his love. It's part of what Jesus prayed about in his prayer for unity.
I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. (John 17:23)
The perfect interchange of love between God the Father and God the Son is that which produces the Holy Spirit. Catholics (of the Roman Rite at least) bear witness to this fact when we say the creed at Mass:
We believe in the Holy Spirit,the Lord, the Giver of Lifewho proceedes from the Father and the Son
The Holy Spirit proceedes forth from the perfect interchange of selfless love between God the Father and God the Son in the same way that a child proceedes from the perfect interchange of love between husband and wife. The word spirit is from the Latin word "Spiritus" which means breath. If you think of the Holy Spirit as a product of the "Heavy breathing" between God the Father and God the Son in the same way that a child is the product of the heavy breathing between husband and wife you are not too far from the idea.
Yea, it's that profound.
The way in which husband and wife are supposed to love each other, totally committed, giving up their desires in sacrifice to the other, giving their entire lives as a gift to each other, and the way in which that union produces a child is a a visible means, designed by God, by which we are taught the innermost workings of the Trinity. Not only does spousal union mirror Trinitarian love, but it is a means by which we are to experience Trinitarian love in our own lives, to the extent that it is possible on this side of the grave, in a very personal and powerful way. And that is why it confers grace, at least when it is lived the way it is supposed to. And that is why matrimony can be nothing but a sacrament. The fact that it doesn't feel or seem like one is because we are not disposed to it, we don't prepare for it, open our hearts to it. We simply don't do it correctly, like not examining our concience correctly before confession or preparing properly for the Eucharist.
Profession to religious life is not a sacrament because a sacrament only anticipates the real thing. A sacrament is a sign which teaches us about invisible, spiritual truths, but it is not the actual fulfillment of that truth. The Eucharist is Jesus "Behind a veil" but someday we will see him face to face. Profession to religious life is the same - it forgoes the "Veil" of the sacrament in anticipation of the real thing. Profession to religious life is therfor not only better, but perfect, because the person professing will only take part in Trinitarian love perfectly when they are united to Christ in Heaven and not the veiled version here on earth. It's delayed gratification at it's finest.
It's why nuns and monks are my hero's.
-Tim-
Now we can know the true God. The woman of Revelation 12 is now here. God is precise: It is a woman Rev 12 that delivers the true word John1:1, Rev 12:5, Rev 12:13 who restores Acts 3:21 all things to the world before Christ’s return. This woman exposes the lies of Satan who has deceived the whole world Rev 12:9. This woman creates a new thing in the earth by fulfilling God's promise to Eve Gen 3:15, Jer 31:22, Isa 14:16. Moses and Elijah are together with the word Matt 17:3 they all three are in this one woman. She is like unto Moses Num 12:3. She was raised up Acts 3:22 from the Laodicean church that becomes lukewarm because they refused to hear her Rev 3:14-17. She is bold like Elijah Matt 17:11, Luke 1:17. As Elijah was alone declaring the true God to the people 1 Kings 18:22 so also her witness alone turns the hearts of the fathers to the children Mal 4:5-6 to prepare a people for the Lords return before the great and dreadful day of the Lord Matt 17:3, Luke 9:30. Those who will not hear Acts 3:23 the true word of God she now deliveres to the world free of charge, as a witness, at the heel of time from the wilderness Rev 12:6 will not be allowed inside the walls of God’s coming kingdom from heaven Rev 21. This true testimony of the true value of the blood of the Lamb delivers the truth that not one child of God will be put in a hell fire no matter what their sins. It never entered the heart or mind of God to ever do such a thing Jer 7:31, Jer 19:5. God created evil Isa 45:7 to teach his children the knowledge of good and evil Rom 8:7, Gen 3:22 so that at their resurrection they become a god Matt 22:29-30, Ps 82:6. Prove all things. You cannot rightly judge this unless you read all that has been written by this woman first Pro 18:13. http://minigoodtale.blogspot.com Check out the bruising of Satan and the reason for all of mankind’s sufferings.
ReplyDeleteI'm not too sure that I follow your train of thought Val, but I appreciate very much the fact that you posted.
ReplyDelete-Tim-