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292 • Part II. The Sacraments: The Faith Celebrated
rifice is complete. God so loved the world that he gave his only
begotten Son, and the Son so loved us that he gave himself for
our salvation. “Greater love than this no one has, that one lay
down his life for his friends.”
No greater blessing can come to your married life than pure
conjugal love, loyal and true to the end. May this love, then,
with which you join your hands and hearts today, never fail, but
grow deeper and stronger as the years go on. And if true love
and the unselfish spirit of perfect sacrifice guide all your actions,
you two can expect the greatest measure of earthly happiness
that may be allotted on this earth. The rest is in the hands of
God. Nor will God be wanting to your needs; he will pledge you
the lifelong support of his graces in the holy sacrament which
you are now going to receive.
— Msgr. Charles Ramm,
“Exhortation Before the Sacrament of Marriage,” in
Liturgikon
(Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 1977)
PRAYER
Almighty and eternal God,
your fatherly tenderness never ceases to provide for our needs.
We ask you to bestow on this family and this home
the riches of your blessing.
With the gift of grace, sanctify those who live here,
so that, faithful to your commandments,
they will care for each other, ennoble this world by their lives,
and reach the home you have prepared for them in heaven.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Blessing of Families,
Book of Blessings
•
I will espouse you to me forever.
—Hos 2:21