Catechism of the Catholic Church - Sections 1641-1642

One of the great gifts of the Catholic church to the Catholic faithful is the Catechism (CCC) that guides us in many areas of our faith. When I teach my Building a Eucharistic Marriage course, we read from the Catechism and reflect on, as a group, that which we have read. I would like to read them to you now and will comment more on them over the next couple of weeks. This week, I’m quoting passages 1641 – 1642. They state:

(1641) "By reason of their state in life and of their order, [Christian spouses] have their own special gifts in the People of God. This grace proper to the sacrament of Matrimony is intended to perfect the couple's love and to strengthen their indissoluble unity. By this grace they help one another to attain holiness in their married life and in welcoming and educating their children.

(1642) Christ is the source of this grace. Just as of old God encountered his people with a covenant of love and fidelity, so our Savior, the spouse of the Church, now encounters Christian spouses through the sacrament of Matrimony. Christ dwells with them, gives them the strength to take up their crosses and so follow him, to rise again after they have fallen, to forgive one another, to bear one another's burdens, to "be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ," and to love one another with supernatural, tender, and fruitful love. In the joys of their love and family life he gives them here on earth a foretaste of the wedding feast of the Lamb.”

ACTION STEP: I encourage you to read passages 1641 - 1642 with your spouse and then both reflect on what part of it stood out to each of you and why and how you feel it applies to your life and your marriage.