FAM CHURCH

The Domestic Church • Fam – most intimate experience of Church, place

• Christian home where love, forgiveness and trust should first be
- place where children receive the first encountered
proclamation of the faith. • Members – called to embody Christ in everyday life
- domestic church
- a community of grace & prayer, a school of DIGNITY OF MARRIAGE
human virtues and of Christian charity • Vatican II: fam are genuinely “Church”
• restored ancient concept of domestic Church: “The
CHURCH MISSION parents are to be the first preachers of the faith for
• share the Good News of Jesus Christ their children, by word & example.”
• (evangelize; children learn)
ROLE IN SALVATION
OUR COMMISSION • Fam – specific role in God’s plan of salvation
• “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, • Fam – deeply associated w the Church, both in its
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of nature and its structure (also feed the soul)
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all I have commanded you.” Mat 28:19 FAM IS CENTRAL
• OT: fam – so central that w/o it, no covenant
CONCEPTS OF DOMESTIC CHURCH • NT: fam – fulfilled through Christ; place where Holy
A. St. Luke Spirit works out salvation & provides stability and
• “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, structure for life’s journey
you & your household … and he was baptized at
once w all of his fam .. and he rejoiced w all his CHURCH IN MINIATURE
household that he believed in God.” Acts of the • baptized fam – first place of teaching faith, prayer,
Apostles 16:32-34 morality
B. Second Vatican Council • fam is Church in miniature, sharing nature of Christ
• The church is in Christ like a sacrament or as a
sign & instrument both of a very closely knit union CHURCH AS HEAD
w God and of the unity of the whole human race. • Jesus – head of Catholic home & Church (Church
• Parents – first preachers of faith to children is the body of Christ, people of God, temple of Holy
C. Catechism of the Catholic Church Spirit)
• In our modern world (often hostile to religion), • Fam’s week should be centered on the Mass, and
religious families are important centers of living faith growth should continue at home
faith.
• Parents – first heralds of faith TOOLS FOR BUILDING A DOMESTIC CHURCH
• Home – parents & children exercise baptismal • Lumen Gentium: “The fam is domestic Church”
priesthood 1. Pray as a family & reading from Scripture daily,
• Home – first school of Christian life, learn love, before meals, in the morning, before bed.
repeated forgiveness & prayerful worship 2. Pray a family rosary
D. St. John Paul II 3. Have a crucifix at home in every bedroom
• Family – proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel 4. Make the Sacraments of Confession & Eucharist a
of life. regular celeb
• Married couples – givers of life 5. Begin fam traditions based on seasons of liturgical
• Child – fruit of mutual gift of love, gift for and from calendar
couple 6. Make vacation a holy pilgrimage by visiting shrines
E. Benedict XVI 7. Never miss Mass, even while traveling
• as you live your love for each other & for all w the 8. Teach stewardship & charity, by word & example
help of God’s grace à living gospel, true Domestic 9. Demonstrate love for spouse, children, world.
Church Remind that they are loved by God and given gifts
F. Pope Francis to serve others.
• Fam are domestic church, where Jesus grows in 10. Talk about presence of God in joys & sorrows
love of spouses and in lives of children 11. Welcome and support priests, bros, sis, lay
12. Participate in activities of parish
EARLY CHURCH 13. Allow children to witness you pray. Encourage
• began in house churches, fams: heart of the them to pray daily.
communities.
• formed from believers and whole household SIGNS OF DOMESTIC CHURCH
• new believers – wanted their fam saved a. Bible
(persecuted by Romans) b. Rosary
c. Crucifix
 d. Pictures of saints • Proverbs: ideal woman
e. Pictures of Mary • Wife
f. Holy cards ® Ba’al – husband
g. Bulletin of parish, Art of scripture verse, Christian ® procreative responsibilities
newspaper/magazine, Books about ® share in authority w husband over children
spirituality/history, Baptismal candle, Memorial of ® respected by children equal as father
First Communion • Covenant: Marriage of God & His People
h. Nativity scene at Christmas, Advent wreath,
® Yaweh + Israelites
Advent calendar, Blessed palms, St. Christopher
® God: compassionate & patient husband
medal
despite flaws & abuses
PRAYERS IN THE FAMILY ® Israel: adultery (sacrifices to other gods),
called for penitence through new covenant,
• Sign of the Cross, Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary, Glory
exclusively God’s
Be, Bedtime, Meal, Prayer to Guardian Angel, Act
of Contrition

THINGS TO SUGGEST
Marriage in the Gospels
• Christ + Church (original intention)
• Talk about need to pray, find Christian books,
• marriage finds fulfillment in Jesus
celeb liturgical season
• John the Baptist
• One step: invite Jesus in the family
® best man (assist Jesus, the groom)
® says Jesus is the messiah and king
- Parable of Bridesmaids
Biblical Perspective of Marriage o wise bridesmaids bring extra oil for lamps
• Gift of marriage origins in Genesis - God‘s plan of o Jesus insinuates he is the bridegroom
including marriage in the center of the Creation, - Apostle Paul
Fall and Redemption of man. ® Jesus + Humanity
• It is not good for man to be alone. Animals are not ® husbands have to share love & affection like
suitable partners for man. So God cast a deep Jesus to humanity
sleep on man and took out one of his ribs and built
the woman. THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON MARRIAGE
• That is why man leaves his parents and clings to - Augustine, Bishop of Hippo
his wife and the two of them become one body. ® before a Manichean: body was created by
• Man – good. evil, so body is evil but has some goodness
o first: man‘s very nature [male and female] 1. Fides (Fidelity)
o second: from the male-female relationship - faithful
• Aloneness of man necessitated the creation of - mutual service to each other
woman. This provides equality and indivisible 2. Proles (Procreation)
union. - first & foremost good of marriage
- continuation of humanity
• Kinfolk – when God created women; strong and
3. Sacramentum (Sacrament)
indissoluble bond between man & woman
- indissolubility of marriage, even by physical
• Kinship – God’s existence; image & likeness
separation
• God Fam: Father, Son, Holy Spirit - monogamous
Man Fam: father, mother, son - marriage is sacred
• Mishpaha (Family) – application by Israelites for all - Thomas Aquinas
humans ® man as rational beings
® man to choose procreation that preserves
Marriage in the Old Testament humanity
® procreative & unitive end
• Ancient Jewish: marriage as defining institutions of
Judaism
PROCREATIVE END OF MARRIAGE
• Stages of Jewish Marriage in OT
- Bonum Prolis (Education of Children)
1. Contract or Betrothal Stage
o preserve their upbringing, state of virtue
o wedding dowry or engagement gift to father of
o proles not merely continuation of species
bride
2. Consummation or Chuppah
UNITIVE END OF MARRIAGE
o bridal chamber
- consortium of shared life for sharing of labors
3. Seven Blessings and Marriage Supper
- store treasures for children who are common good
o 7 blessings recited & 7 days of feasting
• choosing of wife is highly influenced by parents or
the groom by relationship w/ fam & welfare of tribe
 o Christ: nature was redeemed
Marriage in Second Vatical Council o laws cannot be subject to human decrees
• before, teachings lack participation of married - Catechism of Catholic Church
couples, thus away from reality of married life o marriage can never be dissolved
• Pope Paul VI, “Humanae Vitae” o reality, irrevocable
o acknowledge experience & insights of married o Church can’t contravene

REINTRODUCING MARRIAGE AS A COVENANT C. MARRIAGE IS A COVENANT

• “Gauium et Spes” - covenant of love between God + People
o intimate partnership of married life & love is - “Familiaris Consortio”
established by God & qualified by His laws o God established new covenant through Jesus
o rooted in the conjugal covenant of irrevocable o Jesus: fulfillment of communion of God +
consent People
o Jesus: savior of humanity, uniting
REINTRODUCING MARRIAGE & ITS SPIRITUALITY - “Gaudium et Spes”
• Catechism of Catholic Church o Baptism: m&w are set in new covenant
o sacraments: sign & instruments o intimate community of conjugal life & love,
• “Lumen Gentium” founded by the Creator
o the Church is a sacrament or a sign &
instrument both of a very close knit union w D. MARRIAGE IS A CELEBRATION
God & of human race - Revelation 19:9
o Marriage: celeb of love open for all
AMORIS LAETITIA o Wedding Feast of the Lamb: everyone is
• by Pope Francis, The Joy of Love invited to come for a joyous celebration: ―
• expectations & concerns of future of family in Blessed are those who are called to the
Catholic Church supper of the Lamb.
• “Joy of love experienced by families is also the joy - Catechism of Catholic Church
of the Church” o Latin Rite of marriage normally takes place
during Holy Mass
• couple that loves & begets life is a true living icon
o Eucharist: Christ + Church
• fruitful love becomes symbol of God’s inner life
o Marriage: liturgical act & introduces into an
ecclesiastical order, creates rights & duties
Christian Dimensions of Marriage o witnesses/public character: protects “I do”,
help spouses be faithful
A. MARRIAGE IS A VOCATION
- came from the hand of God
- God created man out of love E. MARRIAGE IS A SACRAMENT
- man: called to love the fundamental and innate - Wedding at Cana: sees confirmation & goodness
vocation of every human of marriage and marriage is sign of Christ’s
- mutual love: an image of the absolute and unfailing presence
love of God - Marriage: reveals mystery of Jesus Christ
- “Humanae Vitae” - “Humanae Vitae”
o union of two persons, perfect for one another, o Sacrament effects grace when God gives
cooperating w God in rearing new life strength
- “Amoris Laetitia” o grace: helps to be loving & responsible
o response to call to experience conjugal love
as sign of love of Christ + Church
- “Relatio Synodi”
o self-giving, faithfulness, openness to new life
Theological Perspectives &
o take seriously the mutual commitment in
God’s name & presence of Church
Fathers of the Church
1. St. Augustine
a. Proles
B. MARRIAGE IS A CONTRACT b. Fides
- Family Code of the Philippines c. Sacramentum
o Marriage is a special contract of permanent 2. St. Thomas Aquinas & Fathers of the Church on
union of m&w Marriage/ Theological Perspective
o foundation of family and whose nature,
consequences, and incidents are governed by EARLY CHIRSTIAN & PATRISTIC THOUGHT
law and not subject to stipulation by spouses. To understand sexual attitudes expressed by the earliest
- “Casti Connubii” Christian writers, one must first of all be aware of the
o matrimony was by God, not by man context:
o laws: strengthen, confirm, elevate it 1) Age of Great Sexual Licentiousness
o God: author of nature
 2) NT Marriage, Virginity & Chastity were radically b. Health
opposed to the sexual outlook and pagan practice. c. Friendship
3) Prostitution were widespread - others necessary:
4) Divorce, contraception, abortion, and infanticide a. food
were common. b. drink
5) Chastity for males were considered out of the c. sleep
question. d. marriage
6) Debauchery and disregard for human life (Greco- e. sexual intercourse
Roman World) - rightly choose Marital Union as a way of
7) Religious challenge of various Gnostic movements showing friendship
– metaphysical dualist, human body and sexuality 3. Good of Indissolubility
were evil, despised marriage and procreation - Two Characteristics of Marriage
A. Symbolic representation: Jesus + Church
Early Christian Writers drew their Teachings on the B. Grace: given to spouses in virtue
Gospel and St. Paul - Permanent and with moral obli
1) They taught that marriage is something good, - Marriage: mystery of God’s love for man, a
divinely instituted and blessed by Jesus’ presence love made real by Christ’s indissoluble union +
at the wedding feast of Cana (John 2) Church.
2) The early Christians stressed the procreative - Christian marriage symbolizes and draws
purpose of marriage and of human sexuality. strength from union of Jesus + Church
3) They introduced continent or abstinence from what - Natural Bond - reality touched by love of
they describe as ‘animal-like’ behavior. Christ and His Church. Christian marriage
4) In their reading of the Genesis, they saw the good must be indissoluble as this love
of procreating children as the purpose of marriage.
5) The Fathers of the Church saw Adam and Eve’s CHALLENGES FACED BY MEDIEVAL THEOLOGIANS
nakedness (ashamed) as a sign that sexual 1. Ideal of “Pure” and “Romantic Love” proposed by
appetite had been wounded by sin. the Troubadours – glorified sexual pleasure w/in
context of romance & romantic activity separated
ST. AUGUSTINE from marriage & procreation; show no appreciation
• once a Manichean for Procreation
• fides, proles, sacramentum 2. Hedonism of the Heterodox Troubadours about
1. wrote about sexual and marital issues more than what is really good for human
the other Fathers of the Church
2. influence in theology in Western Church was EVIL ACTS THAT ATTACK GOOD OF MARRIAGE
continuously been profound 1. Adultery: Disobedience of 6th Commandment
• marriage is to be held in honor, that the marriage - w/in marital covenant
bed “be UNDEFILED” - gravely sinful violations:
o defilement – when desire is disordered, when a. Sexual act in contrary to purpose of
it is a “restless burning.” marriage
• Concupiscence – source of restless burning, and b. Sexual differentiation
distorts our natural desire to do good 2. Observance of the Natural Law and the Prohibition
of Any Forms of Sexual Activity
THREE GOODS OF MARRIAGE - examples:
1. Good of Offspring a. Bestiality
- first & most obvious good b. Sodomy
- giving of life to persons to surpassing joy & c. Contraceptive Intercourse
friendship w God d. Other “Unnatural Sex”
- also: - violation to Natural Moral Law
a. receiving them lovingly 3. Nature of Concupiscent Desire: (Morally Wicked)
b. nourishing them humanely - sexual union outside marriage, every kind of
c. educating them religiously “unnatural sex” act
2. Good of Fidelity - inclination to evil from original sin
- not only in sexual intercourse but also mutual
service in sustaining each other’s weakness END/PURPOSE OF EXERCISE OF GENITAL ORGANS
- Procreation is the: IS GENERATION & EDUCATION OF CHILDREN
1. primary • St. Thomas Aquinas: if against this, the right is
2. natural disordered
3. legitimate purpose of marriage • St. Bonaventure: Singular Kind of Love (Amor
- adultery & fornication: mortal sin Singularis) – impossible to be shared w/ other;
- Venial Sin: sin forgiven in reciting Our Father husband jealous that wife can love no one, and
- God gives us goods such as: wife jealous of husband the he can love no one
a. Wisdom else like her (di ko gets amp)
THE GOODNESS OF MARRIAGE 1. Fertility Cult – sex: divine
A) God instituted marriage by creating humankind 2. Sexual union of humans: divine
B) Jesus blessed it at the Wedding at Cana 3. God as sexual being, capable of lust
§ Hugh of St. Victor: Jesus took part in the ceremony, - Hebrews: “these are irreconcilable w/
commending the nuptials w a miracle of changing understanding of God”
water into wine. Therefore, marriage is a good thing. - Genesis rejects this myth, presents alternative
1) Progeny account of origins of human & of sexuality
2) Fidelity - Sex: human, not divine; good, gift of God
- spouses to give & honor as they make free B. Man not an isolated individual, made in the image
consent & likeness of God; sexual differentiation
- violated by adultery & contraceptives - God said it’s not good for man to be alone, he
- but marriage cannot be dissolved by sin needs another who he can share life w/
3) Indissoluble Unity - God removed a rib frm Adam à Kinfolk:
- freely choose to be husband & wife God’s existence is eternal kinship
- moral obli - God’s image & likeness: earthly kinship;
- Ontological Significance: man’s kinship would be dependent on that
a. indissoluble unity w Christ + Church - Trinity = Family
b. participates in mystery of divine love God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit
c. profound union – only death can dissolve Man: father, mother, son
d. accompanied by graces to assist - God in Creating the Man
spouses live faithfully & generously 1. Creates mankind – sexually differentiated
e. true & living sacrament into male & female
2. Inherent complementarity & mutuality in
SEXUAL EXPRESSION OF HUSBAND & WIFE 3. Differentiation is intended by God to
St. Augustine make a special friendship
A. Venial sin to seek sexual union to avoid fornication. - God’s Law of Marriage
B. Spouse in marital union is free of all sin. o “man leaves his f&m and clings to his
1. Spouses could choose to unite in order to express wife, and they become one flesh”
the good of fidelity. - Clear Instructions
2. Marital Union – virtuous act, virtue of justice 1. leave our f&m
3. Husband to give himself to sexual union w wife 2. cleave unto each other
St. Thomas Aquinas 3. become one flesh – intercourse: only for
§ Moral Goodness – goods to make right act (marital married, creates new family
act: fidelity & progeny)
§ Sacramental Goodness – act to not be good, but PRIESTLY ACCOUNT
also holy (Christ + Church) • Procreative
§ wicked to act contrary to good of offspring (solely for • Sexual complementary is “very good”, “fruitful &
pleasure) multiply”
§ Highest Friendship – spouses • To affirm the goodness of human sexuality is not to
affirm that human sexuality lies beyond human
SUMMA FRATRIS ALEXANDRI 3 TYPES OF LOVE responsibility nor beyond God’s dominion
1. Carnal Love • “Thou shall not commit adultery” serves as a clear
2. Natural Love reminder that the man lives his sexuality was
- carnal love w/o lust independent of relationship w/ Yahweh
- no obstacle to spiritual love
- perfected by spiritual love YAHWIST ACCOUNT
3. Spiritual Love • Sexuality – central to the reality of human beings
- through natural love • Human – not composed of sexual undifferentiated
• Unitive, life-uniting, fundamental equality & comple
Biblical Perspective of Marriage • God willed the unity & monogamy
PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE IN CREATION • “bore Cain, ‘I have gotten a man w/ God’s help’”
• Sexuality – good thing • First Fam – sol’n to man’s need for social life & race
• 1 Man – 1 Woman; except: death of partner
• Marriage isn’t experimental

TWO DISTINCT ACCOUNTS OF GENESIS

Marriage in the New Testament
God, through Jesus, is establishing his kingdom of:
1. Priestly Narrative 1:1-31 A) Justice – ex: lepars accepted in the community
2. Yahwist Narrative 2:2-25 B) Peace – Judas Escariot pinagaling instead of may
gulo; accept those who hate you; peace to the
COMMON ELEMENTS outcasts; scene of disciples the waves kahit may
A. Written to combat myth of Baal
 bagyo Jesus told them to stay calm because they
were panicking; Sexual Morality
C) Love – accept everyone in his kingdom; Golden • not external but of person’s internal disposition &
Rule: Love God above all & love your neighbor as will
you love yourself; sacrificing himself and offered • on the person’s heart
his life to humanity • immediate effects on one’s self
D) Redemption – through Jesus’ reincarnation &
paschal ministry ST. PAUL’S TEACHINGS ON MARRIAGE
E) Salvation Ephesians 5: 21-32
F) Intimate Friendship – lay one’s life to one’s friend - “Be subject to one another out of reverence for
Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands as you
NT: showing how marriage, sexuality and everything are to the Lord…”
human are transformed & deepened by the new life by - marital relationship = like how Christ + Church
Jesus, and revealed w the eschatological witness as - special love and concern between spouses
consecrated virginity. - transfiguration of marriage by the new life made
Eschatological – end of the world; final events in the through Christ
history of humanity - Husbands: love your wives
1 Corinthians 7:1-4
MARRIAGE IN GOSPEL - “Wife doesn’t have authority over own body, but
OT: Yahweh + People husband does, viceversa.”
NT: Jesus (bride) + Church - reaffirms the goodness of marriage and of sexual
It is often taught that Jesus: fulfillment of the OT & if the union w/in marriage
covenant in OT has marriage, Christ fulfils marriage & - proper Christian attitude on marriage
transforms it in the intended image & plan of God - Corinth – center of sexual licentiousness & anti-
- NT fulfils the OT sexual Gnosticism
- Jews did not accept Jesus as messiah because - Fundamental point: those who received new life
they expected their messiah as king, but Jesus is a through Jesus, everything is to be experienced “in
servant messiah the Lord” including their sexuality and married life.
- Body – temple of Holy Spirit w/in you, not ours.
JOHN THE BAPTIST - Baptism – becomes one body w/ Christ
- People thought he was the messiah - Sexual immorality = abominable – sacrilegious
1. best man to the bridegroom in his ministry desecration of the body of Christ and the temple of
2. link of the OT prophetic era to NT’s the Holy Spirit
Arrival of the Messiah (prepared Jesus, the last - Paul (same as Gospels): Jesus (bridegroom) +
prophet) humanity (bride). Like Christ, husbands have to
3. In the OT, Israel is bride of Yahweh, Jesus is the share the same love and affection to their wives.
awaited king & messiah - “..gave himself up for her to make her holy” (Christ
to Church)
SIGNIFICANCE OF SEXUALITY IN THE GOSPEL
- Jesus teachings of divorce THE BIBLE
o Moses allowed due to hardness of the heart of - unerring source for morality
people - comes directly from God and we should follow it in
o God did not really allow such every detail
o Luke 16:18: Adultery to marry another after - says that women should be submissive to their
divorce husband, they should therefore obey their husband
o Only can remarry if h/w is dead
- importance of purity of thought & intention SUMMARY
- Sins: from Evil intention & makes person unclean - Marriage
- Sexual immorality o lifelong union of shared love open to the
blessing of children
2 FEATURES OF JESUS’ TEACHING ON DIVORCE o great & wonderful reality, participates in love
1. Condemns both divorce & remarriage, (adultery) of Christ for Church
2. fundamental equality of woman – when man o Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is to be held in honor
remarries, adultery against the woman by all, adulterers & fornicators will be judged.”
- Adultery – v serious evil & a serious violation of - NT: teaches chastity is a virtue required
God’s will - fullness of revelation through Jesus
- Why does the Church hate divorce? In the eyes of - All God’s creation are good:
God, even if divorced in paper, hindi pa rin a. mankind
divorced b. human body
- concern for human dignity & fundamental equality c. human flesh
A) The Samaritan Woman d. human sexuality
B) The Adulterous Woman e. sexual activity
CHRISTIAN DIMENSIONS OF MARRIAGE
Separation of Church and State
- The state has no official religion
- The state should not discriminate any other religion
- The church should not control or dominate any
religious group, the police or around unit of the
state

GENESIS
• Hebrew title: Bereshit – taken from the first word
that appears in the book; “in the beginning”
• Greek: Genesij; the Christians adopted the
Septuagint as their bible and thus used the title
Genesij for the first book
• Gen 1-11: Primeval Legends
Gen 12-36: Patriarchal Tales
Gen 13-: Joseph’s Story
• Gen 1-11: Primeval Legends; not historial accounts
rather the aim is to proclaim, by means of myths &
legends the following religious truths: God created
the world and set humans as stewards of creation;
that God created a good world; but that
• 7 Days of Creation day & night, waters above &
below, land/seas & vegetation (first triduum od
creates Spaces; second triduum God fills the
spaces)