Marriage homily

As we reflect upon God's word today, one of the common fears that we may all have is the fear of being alone. The fear of not having someone to share our innermost thoughts and feelings, our joys, happiness and sorrows, our success and our defects God's word offers a solution.
In the Gospel, Jesus gives a new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you. This is how all will come to know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.” The Lord Jesus, sets a standard for all humanity. Love is not to just love the other person in the way that we want to, or the way that we feel like it, but to love in the way that Jesus loved us. The Cross of Jesus is the example of that love, a love that is completely and totally for the other person. It is not something easy for us to naturally, but we can do so with the grace of God, as we look to the Lord for inspiration and example. Pope Francis once said: “Don't worry so much about self-preservation.” This goes against every natural instinct that we have, and our first concern is always to protect oneself. But as the Lord said: “Those who save their lives will lose it, but those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” God doesn't ask us to make sacrifices unless He offers something better in return. He offers us joy, meaning and purpose for our lives. As followers of Christ, we see the value and meaning in the cross of Jesus, his complete kenosis, self-emptying for love of humanity.

In our first reading from the book of Genesis, the Jewish mythology about creation of humanity, and the creation of marriage and family, Adam was in the garden of Eden by himself. Although he had everything that he could possibly need and want, all the food he could eat, all the animals to keep him company, but he still felt alone. God cast Adam into a deep sleep, and took a rib from his side, and created a woman. Adam was delighted to see Eve, so much that he said: “This one at last, is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.” From that day forward, they were to live their lives as one. This is the first marriage, and it's God's gift to humanity.

But as we continue the story of creation, we see that the Evil One trying to disrupt that order. In a form of a serpent, he began to confuse them. God told them that they would die, if they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But the Evil One tempted the woman: “You will not die, but your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God.” Notice that one of the first sacraments in the Bible is the Sacrament of Marriage. The Evil One tries to disrupt that Sacrament. One of the things that the Evil One doesn't like to see is happy, married couples, who are in love. In fact, he is furious and upset when he see married couples in love. He'll do everything he can to separate and divide, and he will continue to try to do with you. But don't let him win. Today, on your marriage day, God is victorious, and good has triumph.

St. Paul praises the virtue of love as the greatest of all virtues. He said: “If I have faith to move mountains, but do not love, then I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, but do not love, then I gain nothing. If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not love, then I am like a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. It doesn't mean that faith is not important, or sharing our resources is not important, but it's in the attitude, letting love be a guiding principle, that directs our thoughts and actions.

______ & _________, may the Lord bless your vocation of marriage all the days of your life. Amen.