Reasons why Roman Catholics get married.

love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does

not take offense, and is not resentful.

Love takes no pleasure in other peoples sins, but delights from the

truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure

whatever comes.LOVE does not come to an end.

( 1 Corinthians 13 v 4 - 8 )

Marriage is a serious decision made by a couple who love each other.

Better is it that thou shoudest not vow, than that thou shoudest vow

and pay.

( Ecces 5 v 5 )

This is a reason why marriage should not be entered into lightly.

Some may teach that marriage is the second most important decision

we will make, just below salvation. Both are until death.

What is interesting is that the ever chaste, virginal marriage of Mary

and Joseph is an example for excellance of this concept. The fruit of

this perfect union was a perfect fruit of Mary's womb: Jesus. God

Incarnate. The Perfect Work of the Shechinah. Mary and Joseph, and

their marriage, was quite literally and Truly "worthy of the

Shechinah." As a result, the Shechinah (ie, the Holy Spirit) came

between them, and the power of the Host High overshadowed Mary.

We know the rest of the story.

Nowadays the marriage service is a lot different from what it was

then, eg" We now exchange rings and exchange vows, back then they

probably would exchange vows, but i doubt that they would have had

rings and big parties after the ceremonies.

During the ceremony the preist asks the couple if they:

are ready to love and honour each other for the rest of thier lives and

he also asks them if they are ready to accept children lovingly from

God and bring them according to the law of Jesus Christ and his

church.

All married people are nevertheless called to holiness in a chaste

relationship, be it in perpetual virginity like Mary and Joseph, or in a

conjugal union that is open to new life. Their relationship, including

their physical (sexual) relationship, must also be "worthy of the

Shechinah."

I have shown religous reasons why Roman Catholics do and don't get

married, i have shown the relevance and importance of the above

question. I have come to the conclusion that all aspects of marriage

and family life, is truly a team effort involving the husband, the wife,

and God [and later the 'Kingdom of Heaven' (Genesis 18:10;

Matthew 18:5) in their midst-ie, the kids.]