Today we celebrate World Marriage Sunday.
On February 14th we celebrate Saint Valentine's Day, but who was this Saint Valentine? This forgotten saint defended the sacrament of marriage when it was under attack, spoke against pagan fertility rituals, and healed the blind. At the time the Roman emperor made it illegal for young men to get married because if they were married they would not be able to partake of the military. This is so because it was believed that married men made bad soldiers. This law fed the permissive society in which Saint Valentine lived, but he would go onto preach concerning the importance of marriage and would even marry couples who searched out the sacrament. This led to his eventual marytdom. He ultimately died professing the sacredness of marriage and thus may he intercede for our society that we may always hold marriage to be sacred.
Marriage is a sacrament which was instituted by Christ. Throughout society marriage has existed, but in the Gospel of Saint Matthew Christ states: "Because Moses by reason of the hardness of your heart permitted you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so." Therefore, it is Christ who elevates marriage to the status of a sacrament. He restores it to the original purpose for which it was given by God Himself from the beginning.
Marriage is a sacrament and therefore like all sacraments it bestows grace upon the receiver. Grace is that which leads us to follow God and thus to get to Heaven. The married life is not simple, but with God's grace at work within the sacrament it is possible.
We live in the midst of a culture which does not understand the importance of marriage and the gracein which Christ imparts upon the receiver. We see this through the desire to redefine marriage as no longer being between a man and a woman. We see this through the many who delay marriage and live together outside of its bonds thus creating a serious sin for themself. We see this through those who don't understand the Sacrament of Marriage and the grace it imparts and thus enter into an illicit marriage outside of the Church. We see this through our throw away society which struggles with accepting a life long bond of love. We see this through the prevalence of contraception within marriage which leads towards a perversion of the mutual love of the couple.
Rather the Church invites us towards something greater. This invitation is to be led towards Christ and thus too what God has established for us from the very beginning. It is for the very reason that the Church must continue to defend the sanctity of marriage because it is the Church's mission to lead us to encounter Christ and His infinite mercy. Marriage is a pillar of society because from it springs up the family and thus the church at home is formed.
On this "World Marriage Day" may we discover the beauty that lies behind this sacrament and thus pray for all married couples and those who will soon enter into marriage. Following this Homily there will be a reaffirmation of vows and a special blessing given to all married couples following the "Our Father." May Saint Valentine intercede for us that we may always defend the sanctity of marriage and that all those now married may continue to profess this wonderous Sacrament of God's love.
