Marriage

The importance of marriage to the message of Jesus is underscored by the fact that He performed His first miracle at a wedding. John shows that Jesus is the true Bridegroom, and that God is fulfilling His promise to come as a divine Bridegroom to Israel.

In the New Covenant, Christ reaffirms the original nature of marriage and transforms it. He elevates the original sign of God’s love for humanity to a sacrament of grace. Jesus gave His own life for the life of the Church.

The husband and wife are the ministers of the sacrament, though a priest or deacon ordinarily witnesses the event for validity. While freely given vows ratify a marriage covenant, this sacrament becomes indissoluble when the two become one.