CLE - SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY

• sacraments of service - sacrament of matrimony, sacrament of holy orders
• vocation - call or calling
• vocation - both are responses to the call of God to mission
• ministry - ways of serving others and the Church in Christ
• vow - promise
• sacraments of commitment - both of them involve vows of faithfulness and commitment
• sacrament of matrimony - a solemn (serious) entry of a man and woman into a binding commitment to each other before god and the christian commmunity
• two celebrations of marriage - the ritual celebration of marriage, ongoing married life of the couple
• rite - a sign of the love relationship
• rite - a sign of gods faithful love to the people
• covenant - "tipan", engagement, agreement, promise
• who can receive the sacrament of matrimony?

  mature christians, and have received the sacraments baptism ad confirmation
• who can give it?

  bride and groom administer the sacrament to each other
• god - third party - unites them to each other and to the whole community
• priest - only serves as the official witness of the church
• other symbolic gestures - arrhae, bible, unity candle, veil, cord
• giving of the arrhae - coins symbolizing gods material blessings for their family
• giving of the bible - reminding them to be guided by god's word
• lighting of the unity candle - symbolizes that god is their source of light
• lighting of the unity candle - jesus as their source of wisdom
• putting on the veil - symbolizes purity of their love
• placing the cord on their shoulder - symbolizes the bond of their unity
• nuptial blessings - a prayer offered by the officiant, asking for god's blessings upon the couple
• why is marriage a vocation?

  it is a call to share in god's own life of love, as reveled to us in Jesus Christ