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Marriage is a Sacrament
Marriage is a Sacred Eternal Bond, indissoluble even by death. Marriage is a Sacrament in the sense that the human love between both a man and a woman is transformed by the Grace of Almighty God through the power of the Holy Spirit into a mystical union. The Sacrament of Marriage is directly related to the experience of the faithful being the mystical body of the Church. Marriage is also a sign of God's Kingdom, for it begins to restore the unity of mankind, broken by sin, and, represents a greater mystery, the unity of redeemed mankind in Jesus Christ. God created male and female with the intent that they should join together becoming one in spirit, mind and body. The human mind is not able to comprehend the real meaning of this sacred gift given to humanity by God, Himself. Today so many marriages end in divorce which is a terrible sin. The church is at fault for not stressing the importance of this beautiful gift. In the old days, one by which I personally follow, you were not allowed to divorce or receive an annulment accept in the case that either party did not want to have children. This was the only reason that a divorce would be granted. Today the church has become a money hungry institution where annulments are handed out left and right. I have been with my wife more than half of my life. We are together nearly 24 years. I was not always a faithful servant of God as some know I was far from it!!! My wife and I went through much together however we stuck together and believe in the sacramental bond we share under the power of God’s extraordinary Grace. Most men are immature and do not want to grow up. In some cases women can be the same way. The truth is all women are beautiful and I am not sure that we settle for less rather it is more that we fall in love with more than just the looks. Remember that we are made up of spirit mind and body which is the whole of the human being. I pray you all find that one special person who will walk through the fires of hell with you and stand by your side when you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. Why not ask our brother who was just married, OUCH. Chime in here bro and give your feed back. LOL Below is what takes place in an Orthodox marriage rite.
The Orthodox Rite
The Orthodox Church requires that a Priest be the minister of the Sacrament, as he, in the name and with the authority of the Diocesan Bishop, brings the marriage into being by conferring upon the couple, the blessings of the Church. Each action accomplished in the service is done to emphasis the relationship of oneness of the couple to each other and to the Church body.
The Blessing of Rings
The ring has been a symbol of faithfulness from the earliest of biblical times, both of God to man and of man to his bond of marriage. As the circle is the perfect shape symbolizing eternity, so the love and faithfulness of bridegroom and bride to each other is also to be the same. As the rings are blessed, they are placed on the third finger of the left hand with the words: For the bridegroom; "The king shall rejoice in Thy strength, O Lord, and in Thy salvation he shall be exceedingly glad." And for the bride; "The maiden shall be lead unto the king after him, and the maidens, her companions that follow her, shall be brought unto him."
The Joining of the Right Hands and The Exhortation
The Priest joins the right hand of the bride to the right hand of the bridegroom, recalling the oneness of Adam and Eve. He places his hand over theirs symbolizing the sanctifying blessing of their union, proclaiming "…Wherefore them that God has joined together, let no man put asunder."
The Vows
The bridegroom and bride are asked to respond three times to the inquiry of the priest. They each state their willingness to assume their proper roles as husband and wife in the context of St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians. The bridegroom is asked if he will be lord to this woman unto death. By his yes he promises to give of himself in total love and faithfulness to his spouse as Christ gave to his bride, the Church, in total love, even unto death. The bride is asked if she will be obedient to this man, even unto death. Her yes testifies to her willingness to be obedient to her husband, as the faithful are to be obedient to the Lord as the head of the Body, the Church. Lordship and obedience are dynamics of a special covenant and expression of a sacrificial love, enduring even to eternity. In no way does it suppose a worldly master/servant relationship, but rather that of Jesus as Lord and Master who gave of himself as servant to the world.
The Reading from Holy Scripture
The Scripture readings include the most revealing sections of the New Testament relative to marriage. The important point made by St. Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians is that of the union of Christ with the Church, His Body, as the model – the absolute model – of the relationship between husband and wife. Marriage as a Sacrament is the introduction and the transposition of man-woman relationship into the already Kingdom of God, where Christ and the Church are one body. The Epistle gives further lucidity to the promises made earlier of the man and woman on being lord and obedient.
Following the Epistle is the Gospel reading from St. Matthew (19:3-9) that speaks of a man joining together with his wife and the two shall become one, giving further elucidation on the bond of union that is to exist.
The Crowning
The weddings chaplets placed upon the bridegroom and the bride are of Biblical origin. Traditionally a sign of victory in athletic competition, St. Paul writes; "Every athlete in training submits to strict discipline; he does so in order to be crowned with a crown that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever." (I Cor. 9:25) Thus the chaplets become a symbol of eternal reward for righteousness. The prayer recalls the marriages of the Holy couples of Israel, asking God to place the bridegroom and bride in the company of these ancestors of Christ, to bestow upon them the same blessings they received as God's chosen. The Priest beseeches God to "make their marriage fruitful with offspring." God continues to act through human creative fertility; the "Temple of His body" is still being built and child bearing is participation in the Mystery of Christ. Childbirth and the raising of children are indeed a great joy and God's blessing. In giving life to others, man consciously imitates God's creative act.
The Gospel of St. John (2:1-11) is read of the marriage in Cana of Galilee. The changing of water into wine points to a transfiguration of the old to the new, a passage from death to life. It announces the possibility of transforming the natural order of things into a joyful celebration of God's presence among men.
The Common Cup
Wine is a gift of God to man and symbolic of life itself. Wine is something that makes us happy, something that sparkles, is used medicinally, and is sweet. That same wine that makes us happy can make us sad, can become flat and dull, can make us sick, and can go sour. It depends on how we use it. The couple shares in this common cup, as they are to share in the joys and difficulties of life together.
The Final Blessing
After the singing of the "Lord's Prayer", the newly married couple receives the blessing of the Church, sending them into the world to now live as husband and wife, king and queen of their kingdom and family
Marriage is a Sacred Eternal Bond, indissoluble even by death. Marriage is a Sacrament in the sense that the human love between both a man and a woman is transformed by the Grace of Almighty God through the power of the Holy Spirit into a mystical union. The Sacrament of Marriage is directly related to the experience of the faithful being the mystical body of the Church. Marriage is also a sign of God's Kingdom, for it begins to restore the unity of mankind, broken by sin, and, represents a greater mystery, the unity of redeemed mankind in Jesus Christ. God created male and female with the intent that they should join together becoming one in spirit, mind and body. The human mind is not able to comprehend the real meaning of this sacred gift given to humanity by God, Himself. Today so many marriages end in divorce which is a terrible sin. The church is at fault for not stressing the importance of this beautiful gift. In the old days, one by which I personally follow, you were not allowed to divorce or receive an annulment accept in the case that either party did not want to have children. This was the only reason that a divorce would be granted. Today the church has become a money hungry institution where annulments are handed out left and right. I have been with my wife more than half of my life. We are together nearly 24 years. I was not always a faithful servant of God as some know I was far from it!!! My wife and I went through much together however we stuck together and believe in the sacramental bond we share under the power of God’s extraordinary Grace. Most men are immature and do not want to grow up. In some cases women can be the same way. The truth is all women are beautiful and I am not sure that we settle for less rather it is more that we fall in love with more than just the looks. Remember that we are made up of spirit mind and body which is the whole of the human being. I pray you all find that one special person who will walk through the fires of hell with you and stand by your side when you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. Why not ask our brother who was just married, OUCH. Chime in here bro and give your feed back. LOL Below is what takes place in an Orthodox marriage rite.
The Orthodox Rite
The Orthodox Church requires that a Priest be the minister of the Sacrament, as he, in the name and with the authority of the Diocesan Bishop, brings the marriage into being by conferring upon the couple, the blessings of the Church. Each action accomplished in the service is done to emphasis the relationship of oneness of the couple to each other and to the Church body.
The Blessing of Rings
The ring has been a symbol of faithfulness from the earliest of biblical times, both of God to man and of man to his bond of marriage. As the circle is the perfect shape symbolizing eternity, so the love and faithfulness of bridegroom and bride to each other is also to be the same. As the rings are blessed, they are placed on the third finger of the left hand with the words: For the bridegroom; "The king shall rejoice in Thy strength, O Lord, and in Thy salvation he shall be exceedingly glad." And for the bride; "The maiden shall be lead unto the king after him, and the maidens, her companions that follow her, shall be brought unto him."
The Joining of the Right Hands and The Exhortation
The Priest joins the right hand of the bride to the right hand of the bridegroom, recalling the oneness of Adam and Eve. He places his hand over theirs symbolizing the sanctifying blessing of their union, proclaiming "…Wherefore them that God has joined together, let no man put asunder."
The Vows
The bridegroom and bride are asked to respond three times to the inquiry of the priest. They each state their willingness to assume their proper roles as husband and wife in the context of St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians. The bridegroom is asked if he will be lord to this woman unto death. By his yes he promises to give of himself in total love and faithfulness to his spouse as Christ gave to his bride, the Church, in total love, even unto death. The bride is asked if she will be obedient to this man, even unto death. Her yes testifies to her willingness to be obedient to her husband, as the faithful are to be obedient to the Lord as the head of the Body, the Church. Lordship and obedience are dynamics of a special covenant and expression of a sacrificial love, enduring even to eternity. In no way does it suppose a worldly master/servant relationship, but rather that of Jesus as Lord and Master who gave of himself as servant to the world.
The Reading from Holy Scripture
The Scripture readings include the most revealing sections of the New Testament relative to marriage. The important point made by St. Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians is that of the union of Christ with the Church, His Body, as the model – the absolute model – of the relationship between husband and wife. Marriage as a Sacrament is the introduction and the transposition of man-woman relationship into the already Kingdom of God, where Christ and the Church are one body. The Epistle gives further lucidity to the promises made earlier of the man and woman on being lord and obedient.
Following the Epistle is the Gospel reading from St. Matthew (19:3-9) that speaks of a man joining together with his wife and the two shall become one, giving further elucidation on the bond of union that is to exist.
The Crowning
The weddings chaplets placed upon the bridegroom and the bride are of Biblical origin. Traditionally a sign of victory in athletic competition, St. Paul writes; "Every athlete in training submits to strict discipline; he does so in order to be crowned with a crown that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever." (I Cor. 9:25) Thus the chaplets become a symbol of eternal reward for righteousness. The prayer recalls the marriages of the Holy couples of Israel, asking God to place the bridegroom and bride in the company of these ancestors of Christ, to bestow upon them the same blessings they received as God's chosen. The Priest beseeches God to "make their marriage fruitful with offspring." God continues to act through human creative fertility; the "Temple of His body" is still being built and child bearing is participation in the Mystery of Christ. Childbirth and the raising of children are indeed a great joy and God's blessing. In giving life to others, man consciously imitates God's creative act.
The Gospel of St. John (2:1-11) is read of the marriage in Cana of Galilee. The changing of water into wine points to a transfiguration of the old to the new, a passage from death to life. It announces the possibility of transforming the natural order of things into a joyful celebration of God's presence among men.
The Common Cup
Wine is a gift of God to man and symbolic of life itself. Wine is something that makes us happy, something that sparkles, is used medicinally, and is sweet. That same wine that makes us happy can make us sad, can become flat and dull, can make us sick, and can go sour. It depends on how we use it. The couple shares in this common cup, as they are to share in the joys and difficulties of life together.
The Final Blessing
After the singing of the "Lord's Prayer", the newly married couple receives the blessing of the Church, sending them into the world to now live as husband and wife, king and queen of their kingdom and family
