y43

Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate
Bishopric of Youth Bookstore

THE CHASTE MARRIAGE
Number 43

by HG Abba Moussa

The Bishop of Youth

Beloved Reader.
Do not say this message is for you. You may already be married, or a monk or celibate. This message is for all, so that we may all live in accordance with the distinctive concept of the chaste Christian marriage. Marriage in Christianity is totally different, for it is a Sacrament. What does that mean?

Marriage is a Great Sacrament
This means that we obtain through it an invisible grace under the guise of material and visible manifestations. We have before us a visible bride and bridegroom, a priest who prays, deacons and a congregation that take part in celebrating this marriage. What is invisible is the Holy Spirit who responds to prayers and unites the bride and groom so that the two become one in the Lord. It is a unity of spirit, thought, feelings and the flesh. This is no less important or glorious than creation itself, for the creation of man from dust with a holy breath from God is simpler than the creation of a church from two bodies, a bride and groom, through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Marriage is simply the creation of a church, a temple for the Holy Spirit, or a manger for the Lord to live in. When the Lord said, "Where two (the husband and wife) or three (the husband, wife, and child) are gathered together in My Name, I am there in the midst of them" (Mt. 18: 20), He was speaking of the family as a small model of the Church.

Marriage is a Partnership in Creation
Marriage is a partnership with God in creation, for it results in new children in perpetuation of the human race. Although God is able to create millions of Adams without marriage or the help of humans, He desired, out of His great love, to have us share with Him in this process of creation through holy matrimony.

The Husband is the Priest of the Family
We make the groom wear the priestly gown to remind him that he is the priest of the family and that he has to offer sacrifices on the holy altar of the family. These are:

1. Family prayers in the morning and evening, even if only by using a small section from the morning and night prayers.
2. Family reading of the gospel; one of the children reads a chapter daily.
3. Holy Communion together at short intervals, thus forging an unbreakable bond between the members of the family.
4. Shared Service, by old and young alike, such as giving in charity or the various services offered by the church, each in accordance to the gift granted to him by God.

Is This Your Life?
This is a simple question addressed to your loving heart. Do not be vexed with me. The Lord Jesus Christ calls you thus, "I love you and I love your children. I keep the children, sanctify the adults, and make all joyful. I am your spiritual and material blessing, so do not neglect me for you would lose much. Let me be the joy, sanctification, and
salvation in your private, your family, and your public life."
Would that your family had one father confessor who would shepherd all. Would that you would resort to God and to the father confessor in every difficulty. There are so many problems, but the solutions are so easy in the hands of the Lord.
I hope that you will say with all your heart,   "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Jos. 24: 15), so that we can say on the last day, "Here I am with the children God has given me" (Heb. 2: 13).
May God bless your life and that of your wife and all your children's to the glory of His Name and to the spreading of His Kingdom.
My Lord Jesus Christ, I weep for many beloved ones who got married and were united through this great Sacrament, then reverted   to egoism, materialism, to lust and dust, and so were separated from You and from each other. They imagined that happiness lay in separation or in uniting with another person, while complete happiness lies only in You, in Your presence in the family and in the hearts of its members.
I weep as I ask You to knock at obstinate hearts and minds, at sick souls, so that they may return to You, so that each one regains the portion he took from You, and so that he may not come under judgment for breaking Your commandments, breaking   up the   family,     making children homeless, and destroying the young shoots!

Lord, shake the heart of every one who considers divorce!

END

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