Marriage is a gift of God in creation through which husband and wife may know the grace of God. It is given that as man and woman grow together in love and trust, they shall be united with one another in heart, body and mind, as Christ is united with his bride, the Church.

The gift of marriage brings husband and wife together
in the delight and tenderness of sexual union
and joyful commitment to the end of their lives.
It is given as the foundation of family life
in which children are born and nurtured and in which each member of the family, in good times and in bad, may find strength, companionship and comfort, and grow to maturity in love.
Marriage is a way of life made holy by God, and blessed by the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ with those celebrating a wedding at Cana in Galilee.
Marriage is a sign of unity and loyalty which all should uphold and honour. It enriches society and strengthens community.
No one should enter into it lightly or selfishly
but reverently and responsibly in the sight of almighty God.

(Common Worship, Marriage Service.)

“But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
(Words of Jesus, Mark 10:6-9)

In these words Jesus teaches us about marriage, its nature and its permanence. First that marriage is a part of God’s plan for “male and female”, a plan which has been in place “from the beginning of creation”. So marriage is not merely a more or less convenient social custom. Nor is it one “life style choice” along side others equal to it - it is a uniquely privileged means of blessing planned for us by God. This despite all the difficulties, on the human side, of responding to this great gift with an equal gift of oneself. Jesus also teaches that a marriage is made by God and that there is, therefore, no human authority able to declare it finished. So the Church is careful around the remarriage of the divorced not to be seen to be making itself God. In this Parish, the divorced who wish to remarry are invited to do so in a registry office before coming to Church to Dedicate their new beginning to God trusting their future into his hands.

Marriage – A Living Icon of God’s Closeness to us in Jesus.