www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology marriage in heaven

I was under the impression (from a Catholic perspective, of course ) that marriage, at least in some real way, lasts into eternity, since it is a sacrament and thus cannot be undone for any reason. Same with the priesthood.

ChristTeen287

Glory to Jesus Christ!
Glory to Him forever!

ChristTeen287,

As you may know, there are traditionally prayers in the Roman Catholic Church that a deacon prays after the death of a loved one. These prayers make mention of the eternal union of marriage and family. They go something like this, "We know that death does not destroy all the bonds of family, friendship, together during this life and they continue in the life to come."

Also, remember during the Holy Mass where we remember Mary and her loving HUSBAND Joseph? It doesn't say, was her loving husband, but loving husband. (Present tense.) Therefore, it doesn't surprise me that many fellow Roman Catholics believe in the eternal aspect of marriage. It is mentioned, we just have have to discern it out.

Adam

Dear Friends,

There is no doubt but that marital bonds last into eternity.

But, realistically, widows and widowers DO remarry.

So do Catholics whose previous marriages have been "annulled."

And before Fr. Hopko speaks again through his pupil, Fr. Thomas, , I am not denying any of this - just saying, as did Reader Rubis, that there are practical and realistic sides to the idealistic coin.

I visited the restored Church in which St Thomas More spent most of the latter part of his life attending Mass, devotions etc. (He took every Friday off from work to fast, do penance and meditate on the Passion of Christ there).

More's two wives are buried in that Church vault (it is now an Anglican church, destroyed during WWII, but rebuilt and rededicated in the presence of the Queen herself).

More wrote a poem in honour of both wives, his first beloved wife having died after about five years of marriage.

In that Latin poem, he says that he does not know "which wife he loves best, but loves both equally." And he also adds that his eternity will be all the more joyous for being able to spend it in their company together.

Any more of this, and I'll start crying . . .

Alex

Dear Brethren,

Didn't Paul write that the widows are free to remarry? Didn't he encourage the younger ones to do so?

Don't take it on our word. Look and see, it's all in the holy writings.

In Christ.

Glory to Jesus Christ!
Glory to Him Forever!

Andrew,

Yes, what you said in the Sacred Scriptures.

1 Corinthians 7:39-40:

"A woman is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband die, she is at liberty: let her marry to whom she will; only in the Lord. But more blessed shall she be, if she so remain, according to my counsel; and I think that I also have the spirit of God."

&

1 Tim. 5:11-15:

?But the younger widows avoid. For when they have grown wanton in Christ, they will marry: Having damnation, because they have made void their first faith. And withal being idle they learn to go about from house to house: and are not only idle, but tattlers also, and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger should marry, bear children, be mistresses of families, give no occasion to the adversary to speak evil. For some are already turned aside after Satan."

Re-marriage is allowed by St. Paul, as it is the Orthodox Church today. Although, the early church nor we should interpret his words to mean that St. Paul was overly supportive of the practice, or that marriage is not eternal. In the latter case, St. Paul encourages the young widows to remarry not because it is a wonderful thing, but because they would end up in sin if they didn't.

Here is some quotes from the early Eastern Church that I found that attest to the beauty of one marriage.

"He who rids himself of his first wife, even if she be dead, is an adulterer
in disguise because he transgresses the hand of God, for in the beginning God
created but one man and one woman." St. Athenagoras, Supplication, 2nd century

~

The Apostolic Constitutions state: "You ought to know this, that once marrying according to the law, is righteous, as being according to the will of God; but second marriages, after the promise, are wicked; not on account of the marriage itself, but because of the falsehood. Third marriages are indications of incontinency. But such marriages as are beyond the third, are manifest fornication and unquestionable uncleanliness. For God, in the creation, gave one woman to one man; for they two shall be one flesh (Gen. I:24)"

~

"Our Teacher (i.e. Jesus Christ) considers those who, following the law of man, enter into a second marriage, as sinners" - Justin Martyr.

~

Also, I heard the following from an Orthodox Christian, "Clement of Alexandria (The Stromata) admires a single marriage in a lifetime, but permits a second afterward as remedy for concupiscence. In fact, in places he only applies the name marriage to what we would call a "first marriage."

~

I think this shows that marriage was intended to be one and unique as that of Christ & the Church. And since traditionally the crowning is omitted, and prayers of deep repentance are used during any re-marriage, we can (and as far as I understand the early church did also) view only the first marriage as eternal and any other "marriage" as allowed as only a remedy for concupiscence and contractual, not eternal. In other words they are simply not *sacramental* marriages. The idea about second, third, etc. marriages as sins are a little strict, I admit. Although, the Church has understood this better with time, and has used the "strict" understanding of one marriage as the norm for priests. Still though, these quotes show the beauty and truth of one marriage for lay people and priests alike. As we know, the priests are to be the ones who show us the true example of the way we should live our Christian lives.

I pray that I don't seem arrogant with this post, for I am not as trained as other people here in theology or the Eastern Church. These are just quotes I've found. Take it as you may.

Adam

Hey Adam,

Where about are you in Kentucky? Are you by the Fathers of Mercy's generalate?

-Joe

Dear Adam,

Thanks for following up my post so thoroughly!

I often know what is in the scriptures, but not where exactly. Also, I don't have time to search for the citations.

Your addition of what the Holy Fathers have said as commentary only rounds out the basic priciples that have already been stated so well:

A model of one holy marriage, maintained always by the clergy, but allowing a second or third for those laypersons who seek to avoid being tempted toward some other more serious sins.

In Christ.

Glory to Jesus Christ!
Glory to Him Forever!

Dear Andrew,

I'm glad to have helped give some valuable contribution to this delightful topic of theology.

Adam