Dear St. Raphael Parishioners,

God’s Family: On this Sunday, the gospel is set at the wedding feast in Cana. It follows the general theme of Christ revealed to the world, a theme that began with the visit of the Magi on Epiphany. Yet the fact that Jesus worked his first miracle at a wedding also reminds us how important the Sacrament of Matrimony is to God’s’ enre plan of salvation for all of us, married or not.

In the first reading we see the prophet Isaiah comparing God’s love for his people to a groom’s love for his bride. Isaiah uses this image in referring to the salvation that the messiah will bring. This image of affection between a husband and wife is quite different from how the Israelites related to God centuries earlier, in the days of Moses and Joshua. In those early days, God was considered more as an earthly master, or perhaps a judge who rewarded the good and punished wrongdoers. Through the centuries the fortunes of God’s people reached a low point, and they eventually came to the realization that all mankind is made up of wrongdoers. Human beings are simply not good enough on our own to hold up our side of the Old Testament covenant! God’s commandments tell us the difference between right and wrong, but knowing the difference is not enough to make us always choose good instead of sinning! Clearly, a new kind of covenant was needed, and this is how marriage enters the issue of salvation.

The marriage bond between a husband and wife is partly a legal matter, but more importantly it is a bond of love. A married couple shares a bond that connues even if one of the spouses fails to uphold their half. This shows how a covenant differs from a simple contract. A contract becomes void if the terms are broken, but a covenant does not. This matters ever so much for those of us who are sinners! (Which is all of us.) The Sacrament of Marriage is a symbol even for those of us who are unmarried. As sinners, we can be compared to a spouse who has failed in some way. But God does not give up on us, even if we fail repeatedly! God is an ever- faithful partner who forgives the sinner.

Our faith holds marriage as a solemn covenant. Marriage is meant to provide a stable environment, where children can be raised in safety. This is quite different from the popular understanding of civil marriage in our legal system. In all matters, we look to Jesus to guide us in the truth, not the passing trends of an ever-changing society.

God bless you all,
Fr. Mathew