Not a burden, but a grace: The indissolubility of marriage

Last updated on: May 27, 2015 at 12:03 pm by CNA Daily News

Not a burden, but a grace: The indissolubility of marriage 2015-05-27T12:03:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Rome, Italy, May 27, 2015 / 06:03 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The sacrament of marriage, characterized as it is by indissolubility, is good news for the people of today, according to a Spanish priest who specializes in family and marriage issues.

“The family is in crisis: divorce, models of the family contrary to the Gospel, abandoned children, abortion … it’s true there are problems, but before anything else the family is good news and the indissolubility of marriage is not a burden, but a grace that comes from the Christian Gospel,” Father Jose Granados, DCJM, told CNA.

“Christ places marriage at the center of the Gospel,” he continued. “The Church has good news when speaking of marriage and the family, and that’s becoming more important in the secularized society in which we live.”

Fr. Granados is a member of the Disciples of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a religious order founded in Spain. He is vice president of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, and has authored several books, including, with Carl Anderson, Called to Love: Approaching John Paul II's Theology of the Body.

His latest work, Una sola carne en un solo espiritu (One Body in One Spirit), discusses the theology of marriage as being at the service of society and the Church, and is meant to show the beauty of God's plan for marriage and the family. Fr. Granados explained that it focuses on indissolubility and on marriage as a gift of the Holy Spirit.

Referring to the upcoming Synod on the Family being held at the Vatican Oct. 4-25, he said: “the big challenge doesn’t come from society, but God presents the Church with a challenge, giving her the gift of family.”

“God presents the Church with a challenge because he has given her the gift of family, and asks her to cultivate it, promote it, and make it grow. From this point of view the difficulties can be placed in perspective,” he said.

“For example, the issue of divorced persons – you can look with great compassion on the suffering of so many people. And at the same time you can understand that when the Church proclaims the Gospel and the indissolubility of marriage, she doesn’t do it as a theory but as a concrete gift. This is how you can best serve people.”

Marriage is “a very special sacrament that has the power to change society,” Fr. Granados reflected, because “through the indissoluble love between man and woman, the basic unit of society is established for the good of children.”

Despite the difficulties of living out this indissoluble love, this task is made easier because in the sacrament “Christ gives his own love to the couple, so they can love one another as he loves the Church,” Fr. Granados said.

The priest also referred to the issue of admitting the divorced and remarried to Communion, noting that the Church seeks to heal the person’s heart: “in the end, indissoluble marriage is a call to us from God. The great mercy of the Church is that this call can accompany them in their lives so they can respond to it,” he emphasized.

He added that one must understand that God's mercy “not only wants to look upon us with compassion, but also to heal our wounds and help us on our journey.”

“This makes it possible for the Church to see that giving Communion to the divorced and remarried is not a solution, and that other solutions can be opened: finding other ways to accompany the divorced and remarried so they can meet the requirements for the worthy reception of the Eucharist.”

Europe

Previous Post

May 27, 2015

DC Cardinal: Christ didn't change his words, and neither should the Church

Next Post

May 27, 2015 Bishop Conley asks for prayers as Nebraska legislators vote on death penalty (Updated)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In Hebrews, what two things does the word of God judge?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Truth and lies The thoughts and attitudes of the heart Right and wrong Good and evil