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Quinn,
Marriage is both a very beautiful
and very serious thing. The three
goods of marriage, which are essential
components to which the parties consent
to, are:
- Fidelity
- fecundity, and
- indissolubility
or
- faithfulness
- openness to children, and
- permanence
It is the mutual total gift of one
self to the other; the life-giving
love that is a union which is fruitful.
Marriage images God in a special
way inasmuch as the (father|mother|child)
paradigm reflects the Trinitarian
nature of God. The spiritual end is to help each other get to Heaven;
its natural earthly end is the procreation
and education of children that are
the fruit of the spouse's mutual
love.
There is usually a pre-Cana program,
of some sort, that the parties must
attend before the wedding; but a
more general answer would be to become
the best individual you can be in
the years before marriage. Simply
put:
Holy persons make better spouses
and since marriage is the total
and exclusive gift of self, it
is indispensable to practice chastity
before marriage.
The subjective significance of the
conjugal act depends on it and when
it comes to the sacramental aspect,
it is important because marriage
becomes:
- not only the sharing of natural
life but also supernatural life;
- not only the sharing of human love
but also divine love or grace.
So although marriage does not continue
into Heaven, it could help you get
there, as the proper reception of
grace leads to salvation.
Peace,
Paul
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