Honouring successful marriages

I had the opportunity to attend the golden wedding anniversary of an elderly couple lately. I was impressed with the way the duo lived their lives together for 50 long years, each saying they always gave in to the wishes of the other whenever some disagreement arose. They did this not because of fear but love. That they said was the success of their marriage for fifty long years.

Matrimony is a Sacrament instituted by the church to safeguard the sanctity of marriage. It was a time when the couple took their solemn wows in the presence of God to be always true to each other not for a year or two but till death. The couple who celebrated their 50 years of marriage did so with so much pride which touched me as they consider their wedding day to be so important in their lives.

The Church which gives great importance to the Sacrament of Matrimony does not seem have the same level of enthusiasm to appreciate and honour couples who have gone through marriage, successfully holding on their wow with great difficulty, some over 50 years.

The institution of marriage today is being seriously threatened with moral decay and divorce. We all have a role to play to stop this decay and the Church as a moral institution should take lead. It could do this by giving more importance and greater emphasis to wedding anniversaries of couples in their congregation. Couples wanting to celebrate their silver and golden anniversaries must be encouraged and hold these officially in the church with special masses and blessings by the priests. 

Those of us having gone through many years of successful marriage will understand the pains and trials we had undergone to build and keep our families together. It is sad that many such couples are not appreciated by the congregation and the priests and at times by even their own children.

The least we can do is to acknowledge the married couples in our midst for the sacrifice, perseverance and love for one another is not by giving money or gifts but by just greeting them from the bottom of our hearts.