Homily #146: On Why It Is Necessary For Civilly-Married Catholics To Request Convalidation From the Church (Sermon for 14 Couples in Group Convalidation Ceremony)

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Dearly Beloved, as we gather on this glorious day, I’d like to tell this story. 

There was once a little girl walking home.  She looks down and sees a small teddy bear.  She picks up the toy and continues her walk.  As she walks, she meets Jesus.  And Jesus has a big smile.  He is also holding something behind his back. 

Jesus squats down to the little girl as says, “Beautiful child, what do you have there?”  She replies, “I found this toy on the ground.”  Jesus then says, “Can I make a trade?  I will take that little toy, and I will give you something even better.”

Not fully understanding why Jesus is asking this of her, she hesitates for a moment and says, “Do I have to?”  Jesus knows this, of course, and his smile becomes even larger.  He says, “Trust me.  My mother made it.  It’s my gift to you.”

Eventually, the little girl agrees to trade and finds out that she traded the small toy for an even larger teddy bear.  Then, seeing the love in his eyes for her, the little girl hugs him tightly and says, “I love it because the gift came from you, Jesus.”

Today, as we witness this great chapter of these couples convalidating their marriages in Jesus’ holy Catholic Church, Heaven too smiles down upon them.  But God does not give these servants of his just a large teddy bear behind his back, but rather God gives the gift of his very own divine life of grace, an abundance of grace overflowing and most pleasing to him that makes him smile, a total outpouring of blessing upon blessing not just upon the couple but upon their family tree.  In Heaven, we will one day see the beauty of their souls for saying “yes”.

In today’s First Reading from the Book of Genesis, it is written in the Word of God that the Lord cast a deep sleep on the man.  And while this man, Adam, was asleep, God removed one of ribs from his side, and from his side God formed the woman!  And the two become one flesh.  H’Adam exclaims, “Wow!  This at last is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh!”  Nothing else in creation is a suitable partner for me except this one!  She who will contribute to my salvation in this life and the next.  She shall be called woman.  Or as the Filipinos translate this Bible verse: “Ay, nako! Siya ay maganda!  Maganda!”  She’s beautiful.  God must be a genius!

And indeed so she is, but not just earthly beauty but more importantly maganda or beautiful in her soul.  She, like he, is filled with grace.  And there is nothin’ better in this life than being in the state of grace!  There’s no price you can put on that.  When we’re in the state of grace, eternal life in Heaven is ours as our inheritance. 

Marriage in the order of creation, in the beginning, was perfect with divine friendship.  Here, we see that God himself is the author of marriage, not the state.  The state did not create marriage.  It was not created by human beings but by God.  In the plan of the Creator, in the beginning, the two are one flesh.  There is a complementarity of the body. 

But, alas, as may know, Original Sin entered the world with the disobedience of Adam and Eve.  They lost grace and friendship with God.  Marriage therefore became under the regime of sin and marriage was in the grip of the evil one.

Yet, out of his great love, however, God sent his only begotten Son into the world to save us from our sins and to rise from the dead.  Jesus, the Second Adam, restored grace and friendship with God.  And like the First Adam, Jesus also slept, but when Jesus fell asleep, he slept the sleep of death…on the Cross.

Also, just as a rib came from the side of First Adam, so too the Second Adam, Jesus, the Son of God, was pierced on his side.  And out of Jesus’ side – his rib – flowed blood and water, which represent Baptism and the Eucharist.  Christ’s only suitable partner, the Church was given life at Christ’s side.  “Ang Simbahan ay Maganda.”  We, the Church, are His beautiful Bride!  As (the 2nd Reading from) the Book of Revelation Ch. 19 proclaims, “For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready.  She was allowed to wear a bright, clean linen garment.  The linen garment represents the righteous deeds of the holy ones.”

And so we see why it is necessary for the baptized members of his holy catholic church to marry before the Church’s minister: to go to Heaven!  We do not want to have just human standards of what it means to be married, but rather we are what St. Paul calls being “marriage in the Lord.  In a few moments, you will be “married in the Lord” which is being “married in the Church.”  It is a marriage blessed and redeemed by Jesus Christ. 

I recently spoke to someone who had a convalidation done last year.  He said, QUOTE “I feel so happy.  I’m at peace with God.  My conscience is clear.  I can receive Communion now.” END QUOTE    This person saw how the Sacraments give grace to him.  God instituted marriage, but Jesus raised marriage a sacrament!  A sacrament is a sign instituted by Christ to give grace.  Repeat.  For those who are baptized and married in the Lord, it is not just 2 getting married, but now God is formally or officially included in the marriage.  Marriage is no longer a mere human contract for us in the Catholic Church, but marriage between two baptized persons in the Church is a true Sacrament of the New and Everlasting Covenant.  Whereas a civil contract is 50-50 and is give and take, a covenant is 100% where one gives to the other, just as Jesus gave himself 100% to the Church, and the Church gives 100% back to Jesus. 

Also, the presence of the Church’s minister and witnesses expresses that marriage is an ecclesial reality.  This is officially or formally an action of the Church.  Speaking of having correct form, this is the reason why the Church normally requires, if at least one person is Catholic, to marry according to form in the public liturgy of the Church (cf. Catechism 1630 ff).  Even though the rings will be blessed, the consent in your will is what makes the marriage.  The consent received by the Church’s minister is the official form.  The vows are formally received. 

You know, when one of the men here today that I was preparing was given the choice to move forward or not, he chose to convalidate.  I turned said to his bride, “He truly loves you for doing this.”  She replied, “Yes, I see it.”  She sees some good in this.  Some of the goods that come from a marrying in the Church are that the marriage is indissoluble which means that it is only dissolved with death.  Another good is fidelity of the couple, just as God is faithful to his people.  Another good is that it is open to life and love.  So all the paper work, all the Form As and Forms Bs that were completed, all the workshops and copies of this or that needed, all of those to prepare you for these goods of marriage.

In closing, let us turn to Our Blessing Mother Mary.  It was because of Mary that Jesus performed his first public miracle.  In moments when we have no wine of love, no wine of energy after a hard day’s work, no wine of sacrifice or wine or time or wine of finances to pay bills, say to her, “Mary, we have no wine.”  She will say, “Do whatever he tells you.”  Do whatever my Son Jesus tells you.  Then, may we have a childlike trust in Jesus who had even greater gifts to give us.  May Jesus continue to smile on us today, as we trust his plan for us, on our journey home to Heaven, to the marriage feast of the Lamb, where it is written, “Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.”