Today we have the absolute classic reading (I) about the marriage of Tobiah and Sarah. It even talks about the marriage of the two "being made in heaven." Take her as your beloved Raguel tells Tobiah – she is yours today and ever after. And tonight, son, may the Lord of heaven prosper you both. May he grant you mercy and peace. That night – the wedding night – would be an historic event – because Sarah had been married seven times before and all these husbands died "on the night they approached her."
But perhaps what made all the difference in the world – not only for the marriage of Tobiah and Sarah – but in a prophetic way made it possible for all godly marriages – is that before they retired for the evening they arose from the bed, got on their knees and prayed to the Lord to be granted mercy and deliverance. And because they made God thusly a very much invited and central part of the consummation of their marriage (and most likely, subsequently all of their married life) God granted their request for an ecstatic wedding night and a prosperous married life.
The entire prayer bears repeating: "Blessed are you, O God of our fathers, praised be your name forever and ever. Let the heaven and all your creation praise you forever. You made Adam and you gave him his wife Eve to be his help and support; and from these two the human race descended. You said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a partner like himself.' Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine not because of lust, but for a noble purpose. Call down your mercy on me and on her, and allow us to live together to a happy old age." They said together, "Amen, amen," and went off to bed for the night."
What a magnificent affirmation of what marriage is all about! What a profound statement of the defense of "marriage-as-given-by-God in the beginning" to be upheld in this day and age when the very essence of the bond is being challenged, defied and even disregarded entirely as is exemplified once again, this time in the state of New Hampshire. The Church is very clear in stating that there can be no "union" of marriage where no "union" is physically possible; and any nuclear type of "family life" that is not based on "the original" nuclear family is not really a "true family" at all.
The gospel passage give us the key once again as to how to deal with these very real everyday situations: with charity, with love: loving God first with all our hearts, then loving one another as we love ourselves. Anyone who loves God would not want to go against his wishes and desires (spelled out in commandments – which are really nothing but friendly reminders of what he does expect of us); and he would also not want to destroy the fabric of society that God himself has woven for our happiness and our safe passage through life on earth. And he would not want us to do something that would be injurious to ourselves – putting our own eternal salvation in jeopardy. Looking to God first and calling upon him for help is always the good and right and wise thing to do in any situation!
Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways! They shall eat the fruit of their handiwork, (in their marriages, in their daily lives); they shall be blessed and favored, forever!
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