In the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony God shares with each spouse the ability to forgive the other.
Most Catholics probably do not think about forgiveness when they think about the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, unless they are thinking about the Church’s advice that it is good for couples to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation shortly before their marriage. But forgiveness is one of the graces that flows from this sacrament as well; just a bit differently than in other sacraments.The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is conferred by spouses on each other through their free and uncoerced expression of their promise of permanent, faithful, and unconditional love by means of their wedding vows. God blesses the spouses with the sacramental graces that give them the power to live what they have promised far beyond their natural human abilities. Thus, those who allow these graces to bear fruit in their marriage find that it gives expression in charity, the common work of caring for creation, self-sacrifice, hospitality, patience, forgiveness, tenderness, and the temporal, moral, and spiritual formation of children. Thus, it is not that God offers his gift of forgiveness to a spouse entering into the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, but that God shares with each spouse the ability to forgive the other.
And this forgiveness of couples, one for the other, becomes the basis of forgiveness in the family that flows from this marriage. The Church teaches that a family is an important expression of the Church and indeed names it the domestic church. The first teachers of children are parents and other members of the family. In the family, one learns endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, forgiveness, and above all, divine worship in prayer and the offering of one’s life.
In the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, God gives the gift of sharing in forgiveness and teaching others – by living it – how to ask for and bestow forgiveness on one another.
Reflection Question
How did your family of origin first teach you about asking for, receiving, and giving forgiveness? Where else have you encountered the blessing of being able to give and receive forgiveness? What are the fruits (results) that come from practicing forgiveness in our relationships?
Scripture to Explore
Acts of the Apostles 7
Additional References
Catechism of the Catholic Church nos. 1641-1642, 1657
United States Catholic Catechism for Adults pp. 376-377
Catechetical Framework for Lifelong Faith Formation MA.2.2.46, MA.4.3.3
Resource for Adult Faith Formation
Prepared for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Distributed courtesy of the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership (NCCL)
© Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, 2014
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