The joy of Christian marriage

On the 29th of January 2015 Megan and I will be married to one another for 21 years. This has been a period of such immeasurable grace. For both of us this will make the point in our lives where we have been together for as long as we were alive before marrying one another. My experience of marriage has been as a means of grace - in fact at times I have wondered whether it was not in fact a sacrament which communicates God's grace. We have rejoiced together, shared struggle, we have grown in our love and in maturity, we are blessed with children, we share our faith. It is a great blessing indeed. I found this letter below which was written by Tertullian a second century African Bishop to his wife. It is expresses so much of how I feel about Megan and our married life.

How beautiful, then, the marriage of two Christians, two who are one in hope, one in desire, one in the way of life they follow, one in the religion they practice. They are as brother and sister, both servants of the same Master. Nothing divides them, either in flesh or in spirit. They are, in very truth, two in one flesh; and where there is but one flesh there is also but one spirit. They pray together, they worship together, they fast together; instructing one another, encouraging one another, strengthening one another. Side by side they visit God’s church and partake of God’s Banquet; side by side they face difficulties and persecution, share their consolations. They have no secrets from one another; they never shun each other’s company; they never bring sorrow to each other’s hearts. Unembarrassed they visit the sick and assist the needy. They give alms without anxiety; they attend the Sacrifice without difficulty; they perform their daily exercises of piety without hindrance. They need not be furtive about making the Sign of the Cross, nor timorous in greeting the brethren, nor silent in asking a blessing of God. Psalms and hymns they sing to one another, striving to see which one of them will chant more beautifully the praises of their Lord. Hearing and seeing this, Christ rejoices. To such as these He gives His peace. Where there are two together, there also He is present; and where He is, there evil is not.

Tertullian, Bishop of Carthage (c.160-225)

Comments

[Deneys Williamson]

Beautiful post. Are you aware that the Catholic tradition holds that marriage is indeed a sacrament, based on what Paul says in Ephesians 5,32? Lastly, just a small clarification: Tertullian wasn't Bishop of Carthage but at most a priest, more probably a layman. Later in his life his views became more and more rigid and he ended up leaving the Church altogether to embrace the Montanist sect and finally a sect of his own.