Prayer of Christian Spouses — Sacrament of Matrimony

The Christian Matrimony, according to the apostolic teaching of St Paul, is «a great sacrament» which signifies the union of Christ with his Church (cf. Eph 5:32). The Council of Trent, Session XXIV (11.11.1563), can. 1-12 on Matrimony, defined under anathema that «Matrimony is truly and properly one of the seven sacraments of the Evangelical Law, instituted by Christ the Lord», and that it is therefore one and indissoluble. The doctrine was confirmed and developed in the encyclicals Arcanum Divinae of Leo XIII (1880), Casti Connubii of Pius XI (1930), Humanae Vitae of Paul VI (1968), and in the exhortation Familiaris Consortio of St John Paul II (1981). The ends of Matrimony (cf. CCC 1601, can. 1055 §1) are «the good of the spouses, the procreation and education of offspring». This prayer is by the spouses themselves, and may be made on the wedding anniversary, in moments of marital crisis, and daily as the common prayer of the couple before night rest.

(The spouses pray together, holding hands:)

Lord God, source of all true love, who in the beginning created man and woman in your image and likeness, and joined them so that they might be «no more two, but one flesh» (Mt 19:6): we, your servants (N.) and (N.), come today before you as we came on the day on which we gave each other the sacramental yes.

We bless you for the Sacrament of Matrimony which united us as one body and one soul before the Church. We bless you for the years lived, for the children received (or for the spiritual fatherhood/motherhood to which you have called us), for the joys given and for the trials traversed.

We renew today, without reserve, the free consent which we gave at the altar: «in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, all the days of our life».

Remove from our home everything that threatens the indissolubility we promised: pride, rancorous silence, infidelity of heart or body, the fatigue of routine, the temptation of comparison with other couples. Grant us the grace of reconciliation each night — according to the counsel of the Apostle: «let not the sun go down upon your anger» (Eph 4:26).

Through the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth, of the Holy Spouses Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18), and of Saints Louis and Zélie Martin, parents of St Thérèse, canonised together by Pope Francis on 18 October 2015: protect our marriage unto death, and grant that we may arrive together at eternity.

Amen.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.