Simple Catholic Wedding Homily (Genesis 2:18-24; 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:8a; Gospel: Mark 10:6-9)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Dear [Name] and [Name], beloved family and friends, what a joy it is to gather here today in this sacred space as we witness the covenant of marriage between these two faithful souls. May the God who has brought you together continue to bless you abundantly as you begin this holy journey of matrimony.

1. Unpacking The Scripture

Today, [Name] and [Name] have chosen Scripture passages that speak profoundly to the mystery and beauty of marriage as God intended it. These readings from Genesis, First Corinthians, and the Gospel of Mark reveal to us the divine blueprint for marriage—a covenant of love that reflects God's own faithful love for His people.

In our first reading from Genesis 2, we hear those beautiful words that established marriage at the very dawn of creation: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him" (Genesis 2:18). From the beginning, God designed us for communion, for relationship, for the gift of self to another. And when Adam beholds Eve for the first time, he exclaims with wonder, "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" (Genesis 2:23). Here we witness the first marriage, the first covenant between man and woman, which leads to that profound reality that "a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24).

In our Gospel, Jesus himself reaffirms this sacred bond when he teaches, "from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'" (Mark 10:6-8). And then he adds those solemn words that form the foundation of our Catholic understanding of marriage: "Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate" (Mark 10:9). Marriage, in God's plan, is not merely a contract but a covenant—permanent, exclusive, and life-giving.

And what animates this covenant? St. Paul gives us the answer in that magnificent hymn to love we heard in 1 Corinthians 13. "Love is patient, love is kind" (1 Corinthians 13:4). This is not mere sentiment or feeling, but a deliberate choice, a way of life, a daily commitment to seek the good of the other. This love "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:7). This is the love that will sustain you, [Name] and [Name], through every season of your marriage.

2. The Sacramental Journey

[Name] and [Name], in a few moments, you will speak vows that transform you from individuals into a married couple, a new creation in Christ. The Church teaches us that in the Sacrament of Matrimony, your love becomes a living sign of Christ's love for His Church. As St. Paul tells us in Ephesians, this is a "great mystery" (Ephesians 5:32)—that your daily love for one another makes visible Christ's self-giving love.

I've observed in both of you a deep Catholic faith that has already shaped your relationship. Your commitment to attend Mass together, to pray together, and to discern God's will for your lives reveals that you already understand marriage as not just a human institution, but a divine vocation. Today, God calls you to an even deeper participation in His divine life, to become ministers of grace to one another.

When Genesis speaks of becoming "one flesh," it points to a unity that goes beyond the physical. It means sharing one life, one purpose, one destiny. It means that your joys and sorrows, your successes and failures, your hopes and fears are now held in common. In your daily lives together, you will have countless opportunities to embody the love St. Paul describes—to be patient with each other's weaknesses, to be kind when you're tired, to forgive when you're hurt, to hope when circumstances seem bleak.

3. The Church's Vision of Marriage

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that matrimony is ordered toward "the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring" (CCC 1601). Your marriage is meant to be a sanctuary of love where each of you grows in holiness, where you help one another become the saints God calls you to be. It is also meant to be open to new life, to participate in God's creative work by establishing a family, a domestic church where faith is lived and handed on.

Marriage in our Catholic tradition is understood as an indissoluble covenant. When Jesus says, "what God has joined together, let no one separate" (Mark 10:9), he reminds us that true marital love has permanence built into its very nature. This permanence is not a burden but a blessing—it gives you the security to invest fully in your relationship, knowing that you have committed to love each other "all the days of your life," as you will soon promise.

This covenant is not something you create on your own. The sacrament you receive today gives you the grace to live your vocation faithfully. When challenges come—and they will come—remember that Christ is the third strand in the cord of your marriage, strengthening what would otherwise be fragile, sanctifying what would otherwise be merely human.

4. Living Your Vocation

[Name] and [Name], as you begin this sacred journey together, I offer you three simple counsels drawn from today's readings:

First, keep God at the center of your marriage. Just as Genesis tells us that God created Eve as a partner for Adam, remember that God has created each of you as a gift for the other. Pray together daily, worship together weekly, and make decisions together with God's will as your guide.

Second, practice the love described in 1 Corinthians 13 every day. When St. Paul says, "Love does not seek its own interests" (1 Corinthians 13:5), he reminds us that true love is always oriented toward the good of the beloved. In your marriage, this means putting each other's needs before your own, serving each other with joy, and finding your fulfillment in making each other happy.

Third, protect the covenant you make today. Our Lord's words in Mark's Gospel remind us that marriage is sacred, joined by God himself. Guard your marriage against anything that would threaten it—selfishness, neglect, unforgiveness, or the gradual drift that comes when we stop making our relationship a priority.

Conclusion

[Name] and [Name], as you stand before God and this community today, know that you do not stand alone. Christ stands with you, the Church stands with you, and all of us gathered here stand with you, ready to support you in your vocation.

May the God who created man and woman for each other bless your union with joy and fruitfulness. May the love of Christ, who gave himself completely for his Bride, inspire your daily self-gift to one another. And may the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, fill your hearts with the grace to live out the beautiful vocation to which God has called you.