Chapter 78 — On the sacrament of matrimony

Although the sacraments restore grace to man, they do not at once give him back immortality; we have already given the reasons for this. (Cc. 52, 55.) Now whatsoever things are corruptible cannot be perpetuated save by generation. Since, then, believers were to be perpetuated till the end of the world, this had to be done by means of generation, whereby also the human race is carried on.

We must observe that when a thing is directed to several ends, it needs several directors to those ends, because the end is proportionate to the agent. Now human generation is directed to several ends, namely, the continuation of the species, and the securing of some good of the state (such as the preservation of the people in some particular country); and it is also directed to the perpetuity of the Church which is the assembly of the faithful. Hence the generation in question needs to receive its direction from various sources. Insofar as it is directed to the good of nature (namely the perpetuation of the species), it is directed by nature which inclines to this end, and thus it is called an office of nature. Insofar as it is directed to the good of the state, it is subject to the control of the civil authority. But insofar as it is directed to the good of the Church, it must be subject to ecclesiastical power. Now those things which are dispensed by the ministers of the Church are called sacraments. Therefore, matrimony, as consisting in the union of a man and woman who intend to beget and educate children for the glory of God, is a sacrament of the Church: hence it is that the bridal pair receive a blessing from the ministers of the Church.

And just as in the other sacraments, something spiritual is symbolized by external actions, so in this sacrament the union of husband and wife signifies the union of Christ with the Church, according to the saying of the Apostle: This is a great sacrament, and I mean in reference to Christ and the Church (Eph 5:32).

And seeing that the sacraments cause what they signify, we must believe that the sacrament of matrimony confers the grace to take part in the union of Christ with his Church on those who are joined in wedlock, since it is most necessary that they should so seek carnal and earthly things as not to be separated from Christ and his Church.

Since, then, the union of husband and wife signifies the union of Christ and the Church, the figure must correspond to the thing signified. Now the union of Christ with the Church is the unending union of one with one, for the Church is one: My dove, my perfect one, is only one (Song 6:9). Nor will Christ ever be separated from his Church, for he said: Behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age (Matt 28:20); and again it is said: So we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thess 4:17). Therefore, matrimony, as a sacrament of the Church, must be the indissoluble union of one man with one woman: this pertains to the faith which binds husband and wife together.

Accordingly, there are three blessings attaching to matrimony as a sacrament of the Church, namely, children, to be begotten and brought up to worship God; faith, inasmuch as one husband is bound to one wife; and the sacrament, inasmuch as it is an indissoluble union, symbolising the union of Christ with the Church.

Other matters connected with matrimony have been treated above. (Bk. 3, cc. 12. seqq.)

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