February 15th Fast

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JMJ

"Faith in God, sustained by divine grace, is thus a very important element for living mutual dedication and conjugal fidelity. . . In saying this, there is no intention to affirm that fidelity and likewise the other properties are not possible in natural marriage, contracted between people who have not been baptized. Indeed, natural marriage does not lack the goods that “come from God the Creator and are included in a certain [rudimentary] way in the marital love that unites Christ with his Church” . . . Yet, closure to God or the rejection of the sacred dimension of the conjugal union and of its value in the order of grace certainly makes arduous the practical embodiment of the most lofty model of marriage conceived by the Church according to God’s plan and can even undermine the actual validity of the pact, should it be expressed . . . in a rejection of the principle of the conjugal obligation of fidelity itself, that is, of the other essential elements or properties of matrimony."

(Papal Address to the Roman Rota, January 26 2013)

Since the beginning of time marriage has existed as a natural institution, a foundational block for society.  The natural law argument for permanence and fidelity in marriage can convince many of the necessity of maintaining the traditional requirements for the institution.  As the Holy Father stated in his address:

"The indissoluble pact between a man and a woman does not, for the purposes of the sacrament, require of those engaged to be married, their personal faith. .  ."

And yet, as Christians we cannot ignore the difficulties that arise from ignoring the relationship between faith in God and fidelity in marriage.  The Pope points out even the linguistic relationship between these two words:

"We can take as a starting point the linguistic root that the Latin terms fides and foedus have in common. Foedus is a word with which the Code of Canon Law designates the natural reality of matrimony as an irrevocable covenant between a man and a woman (cf. can. 1055 § 1). Mutual entrustment is in fact the indispensable basis for any pact or covenant."

We would be remiss in our call to evangelize as Christians if we simply adhered to explaining and living the marital vocation as something that can be done naturally, without the divine aid of supernatural grace.  "Indeed, although the spousal bond is a natural reality, it has been raised by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament between the baptized."  Abundant graces constantly flow from this sacramental union, and though success in marriage is possible without these graces, it makes it all the more difficult to persevere against adversity when they are not present.  Consequently, when personal faith is void, dissolubility is more easily accepted because one does not fully comprehend or believe in the vital importance of fidelity in a covenantal  relationship. Moreover, the salvation of the other does not rank higher than the gratification of oneself and so it is easier to dissolve the bond.

But where faith is present, there is a greater opportunity for growth and strengthening of the marital bond. Quoting St. Clement, the Pope says:

"For if the God of both is one, the Instructor — Christ — of both is also one, one Church, one wisdom, one modesty; their food is common, marriage an equal yoke.... And those whose life is common have common graces and a common salvation; common to them are love and training.”

There are natural and practical means to save and strengthen marriages, but faith in God must be promoted and advocated as a sure foundation to build the health of souls and spouses.

“He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5)