Issued by the Catholic Center for Studies and Media - Jordan. Editor-in-chief Fr. Rif'at Bader - موقع أبونا abouna.org

Published on Thursday, 30 September 2021

Life with or without a wife?

By Munir Bayouk/ en.abouna.org :

 

Life is a journey that man undertakes while experiencing its ups and downs  hoping to turn bitterness into sweetness and striving to ensure a dignified life. With life being non-monotonous,  efforts are continuously exerted to overcome  all hurdles that stand in the way.

 

Over the years, men have been facing a delicate questions that defines their courses of life with a question arising, namely will the future be flowery when tying the knot or the other way round?

 

Let us ponder the significance of marriage according to the Holy Bible Book of Genesis. The Old Testament states, that the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. The Holy Bible adds, "But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man."

 

In other words God created woman to be "a suitable helper for man". The implies that man needs woman to stand by him through thick and thin. Man needs woman to share with him the responsibilities of life through good and bad times. It is undeniable that some couples face dramatic failures leading to the collapse of this bond. That is why, it is important for both partners to seriously foresee the possible outcome of this relationship to ensure its success.

 

The Catholic Church blesses marriage in its capacity as one of the sacraments. This attitude is corroborated by the fact that the Holy Bible brings an account of Lord Jesus being invited to a marriage in Cana.

 

The perfect marriage is the one that is lasting, where is blessed with both husband and wife reciprocating respect and love which is tantamount with children who can bring joy to the life of the married couple and strengthen the bonds of love.

 

The Holy Bible abounds with verses that honor marriage. In Proverbs 18:22, the Holy Bible says, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord."

 

In 1 Peter 3:7, the Holy Bible adds, "Likewise, husbands,live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honour to the woman as a weaker vessel, since they are heirs with the you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered."

 

As "What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate," (Mark 10:9), it is important for married couples to honor the Sacrament of Marriage, live according to the will of God where there is divine blessing and mercy.