1. Continuing Catholic Education 2010-2011 November 7th 2011

2. Genesis – Contd. • Last Week • Creation – In The Beginning God • Sin – Broken Relationship with God • Marriage • Creation of Man and Woman, in God’s likeness and Image • Marital Communion as Communion of Holy Trinity • Marriage as a Covenant

3. Marriage – What we hear today ? • Culture • Media • A spirit of Domination • Infidelity • Leaders • Jealousy • Conflicts escalating into hatred • Statistics on Failures of Marriages • As Long As …………

4. Marriage –God’s View • ‘Let’s make man in our image and Likeness’ • Communion of Holy Trinity • Communion of Man and Woman • Perfect Communion: “bone of bones and flesh of flesh” • ‘It is not good for man to be alone’ • Call the helpmate ‘Woman’ since she came from Man. • Vocation of mankind to be fruitful and multiply

5. The RIB story Story behind why woman was created from the rib of man • She was not created from his head to be above him • Nor was she created from his foot to be under by him. • She was taken from his side to stand beside him, • From beneath his arm to be protected by him, • From near his heart to be loved by him.

6. The RIB story And the story continues… • Rib protects the heart and lungs. • Rib is strong, yet delicate and fragile. • The rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart. • Support him as the rib cage supports the body. • Show him that you are the rib that protects his inner self.

7. Marital Love is Trinitarian Love • Theology of Perfect Love (the Four Fs) - Benchmark of Catholic Marriage • Free – Self-Giving (and not taking) • Full – Gifting (and not grasping) • Faithful – Trusting (and not doubting) • Fruitful – Life (and not using)

8. How does Sin enter into Marriage? • When there is a 4th person/object, other than Man, Woman and God, in the Marriage => Trouble – The Serpent • Broken Relationship with God => Fear • Lost Personal Dignity => Nakedness, Shame, Treating others as objects rather than persons • Lost the Trust of each other => Desire, Selfishness, Lust • Lost Peace and Harmony with world=> Pain, Toil , Death

9. Marriage –A Vocation • Perfect Unity – ‘What God has Joined’ • ‘Physical intimacy of spouses becomes a sign and pledge of Spiritual Communion’ (CCC 2360) • Marriage is called a complete sacrament- ‘When the two become one flesh, it becomes the perfect communion of persons from the beginning’ :John Paul II, Theology of Body

10. Marriage – A Vocation • "Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the procreation and education of children” Vatican Council II • Current Trends against this • Contraception • Artificial Birth Control Methods • Sterilization of man and woman • Abortion • Pre-Marital and Extra-Marital Sex

11. Marriage – As a Covenant • What is a Covenant? • Covenants in Bible • Marriage becoming a Covenant • Mutual Giving in Marriage - “Till Death do us part” • Faithful to the Covenant

12. Marriage – A 7th Day Life • Seventh Day for Marriage? • God rested on 7th Day • Transition from 6th day to 7th • Man and Woman resting with God on Seventh Day • The missing 4th Person on 7th Day!! • Children as God’s Gift, Raised for God in his image and likeness. • Family - A Sanctuary of God, Replica of Garden of Eden, Domestic Church

13. Marriage – What Church Teaches • References • Theology of Body – John Paul II • Teachings of John Paul II. This is referred as “New Sexual Revolution” of last century • Encyclicals • Humane Vitae – Paul VI • Evangelium Vitae – John Paul II