Second Sunday after the Epiphany (2023)

Here we witness Jesus blessing the Wedding at Canaan with his first miracle, and marriage is something that we as a church seek to uphold and honor as part of God’s creation from the beginning when God made Adam in the Garden he saw that it was not good that man be alone. So he fashioned from Adam’s side, Eve the mother of all the living. It should be no surprise then that since Marriage comes from God, that He would use it to show the love that Christ has for His Bride the Church.

God’s Gift of Marriage

Many do not understand the importance of marriage.

Our Picture of marriage has been lost in a world that downplays its great and important role, for marriage benefits not only of the people that are in it, but also the benefits for those around them. This has largely happened because...

The world believes marriage is about being in love.

this is a horrible reason to get married! :D Feelings are fickle, and change rapidly, you cannot promise to hold on to a feeling, let the alone a certain level of a feeling for decades. It is impossible to do and you don’t want marriages built upon something that does not last.

When the feelings fade, they commit adultery.

This doesn’t only mean infidelity, but it also is about divorce. If you got married because you were in love, then what happens when you aren’t? Then you start wondering well since the feeling didn’t last, then maybe this person wasn’t the one, so you look for that feeling again.

Marriage is making a promise to love each other.

That means it is related to actions that are to be carried out instead of focusing on feelings. While feelings fade, actions can continue, and you can go back to it again and again.

Sin Corrupted Us, not Marriage

Marriage remains good, it is mankind that is evil.

We often blame marriage and the vows that we made instead of recognizing that the problem was not with what God created in the Garden, and what Jesus blessed at Cana, but in us.

Sin turns us inward, instead of focusing on spouse and family.

It twists us ever back on our own desires, and instead of asking what can be done out of love for spouse or family, sin wants to know what am I getting out of this? Is this really worth my time? Wouldn’t my life be better with someone else? Don’t I deserve ______________? (What is it your heart desires? )

When both husband and wife are sinners, you can see why marriage is hard.

It is not because marriage is flawed, marriage is God’s gift to Adam and Eve it wasn’t good that man was alone, and so God fashioned man and woman for each other, but when sin corrupted them, marriage became much harder.

The Perfect Marriage

As children learn about marriage from their parents, we should learn from the Church and Jesus.

For we are the children of God, who are born again of water and the spirit through Holy Baptism to be members of the Church. That’s why the ancients referred to the church as our mother.

The Church submits to Christ.

Now this word causes tension nowadays as movements have sought to corrupt the meaning of this world, but it has to do with being under someone’s authority or leadership.

The Church follows Christ’s lead, trusting his care.

This doesn’t mean that there aren’t hard times, there are. The church has gone through periods of persecution and affliction, but Christ has kept his promise, that He is with us always and will bring his family into paradise.

Christ loves the Church.

His Love was made manifest especially at Calvary, that he not only provided for her food and drink on the night that he was betrayed, but gave up His life to secure for his bride safety.

He cleanses her by the washing of water with the word.

He washes away all her blemishes that he might present her as spotless, without stain, blemish or any imperfection. He wants to see her as radiant for he is one flesh with her. She was not perfect, but He gave up His life to make her so.

Our Imperfect Marriages

Neither husband nor wife measure up, so what is needed is forgiveness.

This message is not just for women, or for men, or more for one than the other. Both sides are to examine themselves, and reflect on where we have failed to be both husbands and wives. The problem isn’t with marriage, but with us. A wife cannot blame her husband for a failing to submit, and a husband cannot his blame for failing to love and cherish her, and both must ask for forgiveness.

This forgiveness flows from what Jesus did for you.

For we are members of the Church, we are the ones that Jesus washed clean that we might be acceptable not only before the world, but in God’s sight, he has forgiven all our sins.

We use Christ and the Church as a model for our marriage.

Though we falter, we don’t give up, we get back on our feet and try again, and again this is part of sanctification, which means we won’t perfect marriage in this life.

What Can We All Do?

You can encourage your neighbor.

Marriage is hard, and our society encourages folks to pursue divorce instead of keeping their word. It also encourages folks to not get married and to just live together without marriage which is sinful, but you can encourage them to keep their vows when they want to throw in the towel.

You can prepare for marriage.

Ask what is my role within a marriage? Then grow and develop those characteristics that make one a good husband or a good wife. Cultivate them for the benefit of your spouse. Finding a good husband or a good wife is a wonderful treasure. This is part of the challenge too for our society is that we aren’t encouraged to develop these talents.

You can be chaste.

This applies to everyone, those who are not married, and those who are. There is a union that is developed between man and woman in that union. You don’t want to corrupt that bond for your neighbor or for yourself. Even the secular world recognizes this is the case.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, Marriage is a good thing, Christ’s first miracle was performed at the wedding at Cana, and He blessed marriage with this wondrous gift. For what He did on Calvary was for His bride, the Church, that He would wash away her sins, and feed her with a holy meal. May we all learn to treasure marriage, forgive each other, and encourage our neighbors that this is God’s good gift. In Jesus name. Amen.

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