GOD has given each of us a definite role to live out and to fulfil our lives. For instance, many are called to be married. From the beginning God created us male and female, and the Creator tells us, “I want you to leave your mother and father and to be bound with your wife so that the two of you, both man and woman, become one body, so that there is no longer two separate beings but only one body.”

The man and the woman are meant to be one being, united with the one purpose, happy to be bound together in order to obtain the goal of building the kingdom of God. In marriage the man and the woman are called to seek a union that is truly beautiful. Once there are children the family seeks, together, one goal — the joy and happiness of being the love of God like a garden bearing the beauty of God’s love as a witness for the world to see.

Divorce means division and separation. It is not of God. Once there is marriage, especially sacramental marriage, the union is under God and with God. The couple is bound together despite difficulties, differences and tensions. The couple is bound together in love under God to find a way of uniting with each other.

In most cultures — whether Indian, Chinese, Caucasian or African — it is unnatural to divorce. It is also unnatural not to want children. As Jesus said to His followers, “Moses does not want any dismissal of a man and his woman. He allows a bill of dismissal because he knows the hardness of their heart so he allowed you to divorce his wife — but it was not so in the beginning.”

When a man and woman marry under God they should remain together ‘for better or worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part’. Men and women need to have the security that once married there is permanence; they will not get rid of each other, they will find a way to go together despite difficulties. Even in the worst case of adultery there must be dialogue, there must be admission of sins, faults, weaknesses. There must be a return to former days of kindness, love and affection, and promises made and vows taken to God to one another in the presence of our friends, relatives and family members.

Many nations, many races, do not allow for divorce. Though they struggle, the thought of divorce never enters their minds. Once the vow of marriage is taken it is unthinkable for most cultures that there be divorce. Divorce is seen as a sign of irresponsibility, lack of maturity, and lack of capability to love. The fragmentation of a marriage also leads to the disruption of the children’s emotions and stability. Children need to be brought up in an atmosphere of oneness and stability that no matter what, mom and dad will be together for the rest of their lives.

Seeing the seriousness of marriage, the disciples said to Jesus, “If that is the condition of a marriage, it is better not to marry.” Jesus said to them, “Not everybody can accept what you have just said, but only those who have received this gift.”

There is a deep and beautiful seriousness about marriage. It is a gift given to those who are spiritually mature. In the United States, in recent times, divorce in marriage takes place among 70 per cent of people, and is rising. Most young people do not marry but live together and ensure that contraception is the practice of their partners in their love relationship, which is mostly promiscuous.

We are living in a time when people are no longer confident in their marriage or union with others. It is an unstable state of human existence. Family life is the foundation of culture and human happiness. Modern western culture is in a state of decay. The Lord has told us, “Love one another as I love you.” Without the Trinitarian love and the removal of individualism, secularism and relativism we will not be renewed and there will be no happiness.