Marriage Resources
The Marriage covenant, by which a man and a woman establish a lifelong partnership between themselves, derives its force and strength from creation, but for the Christian faithful it is also raised up to a higher dignity, since it is numbered among the Sacraments. A Marriage is established by the the irrevocable consent of both spouses, by which they freely give themselves to each other and accept each other.
Readings
The Church teaches that ‘in the readings God speaks to his people’ and shows us the mysteries of God’s meaning and purpose for our lives, how much God loves us, the whole mystery of the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and how the Spirit of God remains with us to guide and strengthen usevery day. We believe that God is ‘present’ in the Word. We are ‘fed’ by the Word, in our inner selves, and that Word becomes part of us, helping us grow, helping us love one another, comforting and encouraging us too when the going is tough.
Reading and listening to the Word of God in Scripture helps us to discover what it means to be God’s loved children, followers and friends of Jesus Christ his Son, and, in a way difficult to describe, the Word has power to give life and hope to those who listen and make a place for it in their lives. At the Marriage liturgy the biblical readings may not be replaced by non-biblical ones.