Vows

Marriage is the only one of the Catholic's seven sacraments that are made by the couple, and not the ordained priest.  Christ actually makes sacraments, and seems to use ordained men most of the time to make it happen, but not so marriage.  The couple speaks the word of God, not the priest.  Or, The Word, Christ, speaks through the couple.  Read yesterdays blog first.  Now, when Word speaks, stuff comes into existence.  Creation.  Something from nothing.  The couple are reciting vows, words, or Word through words.  Christ is acting through them, in them, for us, the witnesses.  The couple are creating something.  They stand in the place of God.  Marriage is an act of creation, because the Word speaks through the couple.  God creates.  Living together is not the same as marriage.  Creation cannot be undone.  Living together can.  Of course, if one is over the line in immaturity or craziness, I am not sure they are creating anything by words, except maybe chaos down the road.  What do I know.  I am celibate.  But it is a wow for me to think of marriage as an act of creation.  Standing in for God is pretty good stuff, no?