CHRIST IN THE HOME
http://www.ewtn.com/library/FAMILY/CHRISTH1.TXT
BY RAOUL PLUS, S.J.
a Translation from the French
FREDERICK PUSTET CO., INC. Publishers NEW YORK AND
CINCINNATI
Nihil Obstat:
JOHN M. A. FEARNS, S.T.D., Censor Librorum
Imprimatur:
+FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN,
Archbishop of New York
New York, June 19, 1951
MARRIAGE
MARRIAGE AND THE BIBLE (1)
I. The Law of Union.
How marvelous is the description of the creation of man and woman
which the book of Genesis gives us.
God has created the universe. He has hurled worlds into space. Among
all these worlds is the earth and on it are all the splendors of the
mineral world, the plant world, and the animal world. Each time God
sent forth some new creature from His creative Hands, He paused and
said, "It is good!" God saw that it was good.
Yes, all of that creation is but a framework, a pedestal. Whom does
He intend to place within that framework, upon that pedestal?
Man.
Look at Adam. He has intelligence, free will, and a heart.
A heart--the power to love. But to whom will man direct that power of
love which God has placed in him?
God placed all of creation "beneath his feet." But what does it mean
for man to have everything beneath his feet if he has no one to clasp
to his heart? God understood man. That is why the Most High is not
satisfied upon the completion of His masterpiece. He does not say as
He did after each preceding creation, "It is good," but He says, "It
is not good for man to be alone."
Therefore, the Most High, the divine Sculptor, chisel in hand
approaches His masterpiece to attack the marble anew; he lays open
its side and from the avenues to the heart removes a part; this part
of Adam, He forms into woman. A magnificent indication of how close
must be the union between husband and wife! A union of wonderful
strength, engendered by love and for love! Saint Thomas explains that
"God took the substance with which He formed woman close to the heart
of man. He did not take it from the head for she is not made to
dominate. Neither did he take it from man's feet, for she is not made
for servitude. He took it near the heart because she is made to love
and to be loved."
Such is the marvel of the union of love in marriage according to God.
Love will make of two beings a single one.
Adam acclaimed it upon awaking: "This now is bone of my bones and
flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken
out of man." That is why the sacred text adds: "Wherefore a man shall
leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall
be two in one flesh."
This virginal page does not yet speak of the mother but only of the
spouse. God gives Man a companion--not several but one--and this
society is called conjugal society. This society will be composed of
two persons, a couple, only two. So true is this that until this
first woman became a mother she had no name of her own. There was
only one name for both.
How wonderful is the inviolable oneness of the human couple according
to the desire of God!
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Lord, may everything we do begin with Your inspiration and continue
with Your help,
so that all our prayers and works may begin in You and by You be happily ended.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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on your Mobile <*}}}><
<*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/wordpress/>Half the Kingdom!
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<*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the Kingdom! Main Site
<*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/by-the-by/>Half the
Kingdom! By the by <*}}}><
Lord, may everything we do begin with Your inspiration and continue
with Your help,
so that all our prayers and works may begin in You and by You be happily ended.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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