Saint Paul writes about marriage and then adds a surprising sentence: “This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:32). For Saint John Paul II, this verse was a key to the whole Theology of the Body. Christian marriage is not just a human institution that the Church blesses. It is a sacrament, a visible sign that makes present the love of Christ for his Church.
A sign that does what it shows
The Church teaches that the marriage covenant between baptized persons “has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament” (CCC 1601). Like all sacraments, marriage is a sign that actually communicates grace. It does not only remind us of God's love. It brings that love into the life of the couple.
The Catechism describes the effects of the sacrament: a lasting bond between the spouses, and a special grace meant “to perfect the couple's love and to strengthen their indissoluble unity” (CCC 1638-1641). That grace does not end on the wedding day. It is available every day of married life, especially in difficult seasons.
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Sources
- Ephesians 5:21-33 Christ and the Church, husband and wife
- CCC 1601 Catechism of the Catholic Church, The sacrament of matrimony
- CCC 1638-1642 Catechism of the Catholic Church, The effects of the sacrament of matrimony
- Familiaris Consortio 13 John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation on the Role of the Christian Family
- TOB 1979-1984, Man and Woman He Created Them John Paul II, General Audiences on the sacramentality of marriage