By Lisa Janusa

How is the sacrament of Holy Priesthood like the sacrament of Holy Matrimony? 

These two sacraments of the total seven are focused beyond the individual as in Baptism or Anointing of the Sick to a life of service to others.  

The Priest gives his life to the church which includes all people and the Husband and Wife promise to give their lives to each other.  Christ is the great High Priest who lays His life down for us so that we can become one with Him. 

Christ is the Head of His body, and we make up its members. When the husband and wife say “yes” to each other with their marriage vows the ‘two” become ‘one”.  They are transformed into one body. God desires that we become one with him in mind, heart, and soul. 

The husband and wife may bring new life into the world with children. The Priest in his vows to God and the Church brings spiritual children into the world. The husband should treat his wife as he would treat himself. The wife should treat her husband as she would treat herself. When one of the spouses mistreats or takes advantage of the other spouse then the relationship will be weakened.

When a priest breaks his vows then the world suffers, and God’s church is weakened. 

God created the Sacrament of Matrimony so that couples could build their lives on a foundation of Love for God and each other. 

God created the Holy Priesthood so that with his service to God’s church all peoples might be part of a bigger family that would one day be together forever in heaven. 

When either of these vocations is compromised then the world and society will struggle to produce a world based on Love. Each of us should pray for married couples and priests that they may be firm in their dedication to their heavenly vocations.