The Lord God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.” So the Lord God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.
So the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, He took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The Lord God then built up into a woman the rib he had taken from the man. When He brought her to the man, the man said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called ‘woman’, for our of ‘her man’ she has been taken.”
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body. The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame.
-Genesis 2:18-25
Therefore, take these words of mine into your heart and soul. Bind them at your wrist as a sign, and let them be a pendant on your forehead. Teach them to your children, speaking of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest. -Deuteronomy 11:18
The book of Ruth
Now there was a certain man in the wilderness of Maon, and his possessions were in Carmel, and the man was very great: and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and it happened that he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Now the name of the man was Nabal: and the name of his wife was Abigail. And she was a prudent and very comely woman, but her husband was churlish, and very bad and ill natured…
But one of the servants told Abigail the wife of Nabal, saying: Behold David sent messengers out of the wilderness, to salute our master: and he rejected them. These men were very good to us, and gave us no trouble: neither did we ever lose any thing all the time that we conversed with them in the desert. They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. Wherefore consider, and think what you have to do: for evil is determined against thy husband, and against thy house, and he is a son of Belial, so that no man can speak to him. Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves, and two vessels of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of dry figs, and laid them upon asses: And she said to her servants: Go before me: behold I will follow after you: but she told not her husband Nabal. And when she had gotten upon an ass, and was coming down to the foot of the mountain, David and his men came down over against her, and she met them…And when Abigail saw David she made haste and lighted off the ass, and fell before David, on her face, and adored upon the ground. And she fell at his feet, and said: Upon me let this iniquity be, my lord: let your handmaid speak, I beseech you, in your ears: and hear the words of your servant. Let not my lord the king, I pray, regard this naughty man Nabal: for according to his name, he is a fool, and folly is with him: but I your handmaid did not see your servants, my lord, whom you sent. Now therefore, my lord, the Lord lives, and your soul lives, who has kept you from coming to blood, and has saved your hand to you: and now let your enemies be as Nabal, and all they that seek evil to my lord. Wherefore receive this blessing, which your handmaid has brought to you, my lord: and give it to the young men that follow you, my lord. Forgive the iniquity of your handmaid: for the Lord will surely make for my lord a faithful house, because you, my lord, fight the battles of the Lord: let not evil therefore be found in you all the days of your life. For if a man at any time shall rise, and persecute you, and seek your life, the soul of my lord shall be kept, as in the bundle of the living, with the Lord your God: but the souls of your enemies shall be whirled, as with the violence and whirling of a sling. And when the Lord shall have done to you, my lord, all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and shall have made you prince over Israel, this shall not be an occasion of grief to you, and a scruple of heart to my lord, that you have shed innocent blood, or have revenged yourself: and when the Lord shall have done well by my lord, you shall remember your handmaid.
And David said to Abigail: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me, and blessed be your speech: And blessed be you, who have kept me today, from coming to blood, and revenging me with my own hand. Otherwise as the Lord lives the God of Israel, who has withheld me from doing you any evil: if you had not quickly come to meet me, there had not been left to Nabal by the morning light any single man or boy left alive. And David received at her hand all that she had brought him, and said to her: Go in peace into your house, behold I have heard your voice, and have honored your face. And Abigail came to Nabal: and behold he had a feast in his house, like the feast of a king, and Nabal’s heart was merry: for he was very drunk: and she told him nothing less or more until morning.
But early in the morning when Nabal had digested his wine, his wife told him these words, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. And after ten days had passed, the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.
And when David had heard that Nabal was dead, he said: Blessed be the Lord, who has judged the cause of my reproach at the hand of Nabal, and has kept his servant from evil, and the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his head. Then David sent and treated with Abigail, that he might take her to himself for a wife. And David’s servants came to Abigail to Carmel, and spoke to her, saying: David has sent us to you, to take you to himself for a wife. And she arose and bowed herself down with her face to the earth, and said: Behold, let your servant be a handmaid, to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. And Abigail arose, and made haste, and got upon an ass, and five damsels went with her, her waiting maids, and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife.
-I Samuel 25:2-3, 14-20, 23-42
Hear me, and I will show you who they are, over whom the devil can prevail. For they who in such manner receive matrimony, as to shut out God from themselves, and from their mind, and to give themselves to their lust, as the horse and mule, which have not understanding, over them the devil has power. -Tobit 6:16-17, Douay Rheims
Then Tobias exhorted the virgin, and said to her: Sara, arise, and let us pray to God today, and tomorrow, and the next day: because for these three nights we are joined to God: and when the third night is over, we will be in our own wedlock. For we are the children of saints, and we must not be joined together like heathens that know not God.
So they both arose, and prayed earnestly both together that health might be given them, and Tobias said: Lord God of our father, may the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all Your creatures that are in them, bless You. You made Adam of the slime of the earth, and gave him Eve for a helper. And now, Lord, You know, that not for fleshly lust do I take my sister to wife, but only for the love of posterity, in which Your name may be blessed for ever and ever. Sara also said: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, and let us grow old both together in health. (Tobit 8:4-10, Douay Rheims)
Esther sent to Mardochai in these words: Go, and gather together all the Jews whom you shall find in Susa, and pray for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights: and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called. If I perish, I perish! So Mardochai went, and did all that Esther had commanded him…And on the third day, putting an end to her prayers, she took off her penitential garments and arrayed herself in her royal apparel. In making her state appearance, after invoking the all-seeing God and savior, she took with her two maids; on the one she leaned lightly for support, while the other followed her, bearing her train. She glowed with the perfection of her beauty and her countenance was as joyous as it was lovely, though her heart was shrunk with fear. She passed through all the portals till she stood face to face with the king, who was seated on his royal throne, clothed in full robes of state, and covered with gold and precious stones, so that he inspired great awe. As he looked up, his features ablaze with the height of majestic anger, the queen staggered, changed color, and leaned weakly against the head of the maid in front of her. But God changed the king’s anger to gentleness. In great anxiety he sprang from his throne, held her in his arms until she recovered, and comforted her with these reassuring words. “What is it, Esther?” he said to her. Am I not your brother. Take courage! You shall not die because of this general decree of ours. Come near!” Raising the golden scepter, he touched her neck with it, embraced her, and said, “Speak to me.” She replied: “I saw you, my lord, as an angel of God, and my heart was troubled with fear of your majesty. For you are awesome, my lord, though your guidance is full of kindness.” As she said this, she fainted. The king became troubled and all his attendants tried to revive her. And the king said to her: What is it, queen Esther? what is your request? if you should even ask one half of the kingdom, it shall be given to you. But she answered: If it please the king. I beg you to come to me this day, and Haman with you to the banquet which I have prepared. And the king said: Call Haman quickly, that he may obey Esther’s will. So the king and Haman came to the banquet which the queen had prepared for them. And the king said to her, after he had drunk wine plentifully: What do you desire? and for what thing do you ask? although you should ask the half of my kingdom, you shall have it. And Esther answered: My petition and request is this: If I have found favor in the king’s sight, and if it please the king to give me what I ask, and to fulfil my petition: let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I have prepared them, and tomorrow I will open my mind to the king. So the king and Haman went in, to drink with the queen. And the king said to her again the second day, after he was warm with wine: What is your petition, Esther, that it may be granted you? and what will you have done: although you ask the half of my kingdom, you shall have it. Then she answered: If I have found favor in thy sight, O king, and if it please you, give me my life for which I ask, and my people for which I request. For we are given up, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. And would God we were sold for bondmen and bondwomen: the evil might be borne with, and I would have mourned in silence: but now we have an enemy, whose cruelty redounds upon the king. And King Assuerus answered and said: Who is this, and of what power, that he should do these things? And Esther said: It is this Haman that is our adversary and most wicked enemy. Haman hearing this was astonished, not being able to bear the countenance of the king and of the queen. But the king being angry rose up, and went from the place of the banquet into the garden set with trees. Haman also rose up to entreat Esther the queen for his life, for he understood that evil was prepared for him by the king. And when the king came back out of the garden set with trees, and entered into the place of the banquet, he found Haman was fallen upon the bed on which Esther lay, and he said: He will force the queen also in my presence, in my own house. The word was not yet gone out of the king’s mouth, and immediately they covered his face. And Harbona, one of the eunuchs that stood waiting on the king, said: Behold the gibbet which he hath prepared for Mardochai, who spoke for the king, stands in Haman’s house, being fifty cubits high. And the king said to him: Hang him upon it. So Haman was hanged on the gibbet, which he had prepared for Mardochai: and the king’s wrath ceased. -Esther 4:16-C1, D 1-16, 5:3, 7:1-10
Listen, O daughter, and see; turn your ear, forget your people and your father’s house. So shall the king desire your beauty; he is your lord, pay homage to him….Sons shall be yours in place of your fathers; you shall make them princes through all the land. -Psalm 45:11-12, 17
Behold, children are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. -Psalm 127:3
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons of one’s youth. Happy the man whose quiver is filled with them; he shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies at the gate. -Psalm 127:4-5
Blessed are you who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
happy shall you be, and favored.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants around your table.
Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord. -Psalm 128:1-4
Have joy of the wife of your youth, your lovely hind, your graceful doe. Her love will invigorate you always, through her love you will flourish continually, when you lie down she will watch over you, and when you wake she will share your concerns; wherever you turn, she will guide you
-Proverbs 5:18, 19, 6:22
A worthy wife is the crown of her husband, but a disgraceful one is like a rot in his bones. -Proverbs 12:4
Grandchildren are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is in their parentage. -Proverbs 17:6
He who finds a wife finds happiness;
it is a favor he receives from the Lord. -Proverbs 18:22
The nagging of a wife is like a constant drip.
Home and possessions are an inheritance from parents,
but a prudent wife is from the Lord -Proverbs 19:13-14
Even by his manners the child betrays whether his conduct is innocent and right. -Proverbs 20:11
It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than in a roomy house with a quarrelsome woman. -Proverbs 21:9
Train a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not swerve from it. -Proverbs 22:6
Who shall find a valiant woman? Far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he shall have no need of spoils. She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. She has sought wool and flax, and has made cloth with skillful hands. She is like the merchant’s ship, she brings her bread from afar. And she has risen in the night, and given food to her household. She has considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she has planted a vineyard. She has girded her loins with strength, and has strengthened her arm. She enjoys the success of her dealings: her lamp shall not be put out in the night. She has put out her hand to the distaff, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle. She has opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor. She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her servants are clothed with double garments. She has made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple is her covering. Her husband is honorable in the gates, when he sits among the senators of the land. She made fine linen, and sold it, end delivered a girdle to the merchants. Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day. She has opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue. She has looked well to the paths of her house, and has not eaten her bread idle. Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her. Many daughters have gathered together riches: you have surpassed them all.
Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates. -Proverbs 31:10-31 (note: this was written by the Proverbs 31 husband!)
Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth! More delightful is your love than wine! Your name spoken is a spreading perfume–that is why the maidens love you. Draw me!
-Song of Songs 1:1-4
Strengthen me with raisin cakes, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love. His left hand is under my head and his right arm embraces me. -Song of Songs 2:5-6
You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride;
you have ravished my heart with one glance of your eyes,
with one bead of your necklace.
How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride,
how much more delightful is your love than wine,
and the fragrance of your ointments than all spices!
Your lips drip honey, my bride,
sweetmeats and milk are under your tongue;
and the fragrance of your garments
is the fragrance of Lebanon. -Song of Songs 4:9-11
My lover is radiant and ruddy; he stands out among thousands. His head is pure gold; his locks are palm fronds, black as the raven. His eyes are like doves beside running waters, his teeth seem bathed in milk, and are set like jewels. His cheeks are like beds of spice with ripening aromatic herbs. His lips are red blossoms; they drip choice myrrh. His arms are rods of gold adorned with chrysolites. His body is a work of ivory covered with sapphires. His legs are columns of marble resting on golden bases. His stature is like the trees on Lebanon, imposing as cedars. His mouth is sweetness itself; he is all delight. Such is my lover, and such my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. -Song of Songs 5:10-16
How beautiful you are, how pleasing, my love, my delight!
Your very figure is like a palm tree,
your breasts are like clusters.
I said: I will climb the palm tree,
I will take hold of its branches.
Now let your breasts be like clusters of the vine
and the fragrance of your breath like apples,
and your mouth like an excellent wine -Song of Songs 7:7-10
Be not jealous of the wife of your bosom,
lest you teach her to do evil against you. -Sirach 9:1
Avert your eyes from a comely woman; gaze not upon the beauty of another’s wife–through woman’s beauty many perish, for lust for it burns like fire. With a married woman dine not, recline not at table to drink by her side, lest your heart be drawn to her and you go down in blood to the grave. -Sirach 9:8-9
With three things my spirit is pleased, which are approved before God and men: The concord of brethren, and the love of neighbors, and man and wife that agree well together.
-Sirach 25:1-2
Happy is he who dwells with a sensible wife, and he who plows not like a donkey yoked with an ox. -Sirach 25:8
No poison worse than that of a serpent, no venom greater than that of a woman. With a dragon or a lion I would rather dwell than live with an evil woman. Wickedness changes a woman’s looks, and makes her sullen as a female bear. When her husband sits among his neighbors, a bitter sigh escapes him unawares. There is scarce any evil like that in a woman; may she fall to the lot of the sinner! Like a sandy hill to aged feet is a railing wife to a quiet man.
Stumble not through woman’s beauty, nor be greedy for her wealth; the man is a slave, in disgrace and shame, when a wife supports her husband. Depressed mind, saddened face, broken heart–this from an evil wife. Feeble hands and quaking knees–from a wife who brings no happiness to her husband. -Sirach 25:14-25
Happy the husband of a good wife, twice-lengthened are his days; a worthy wife brings joy to her husband, peaceful and full is his life. A good wife is a generous gift bestowed upon him who fears the Lord; be he rich or poor, his heart is content, and a smile is ever upon his face -Sirach 26:1-4
A jealous woman is the grief and mourning of the heart.
With a jealous woman is a scourge of the tongue which communicates with all. As a yoke of oxen that is moved to and fro, so also is a wicked woman: he that has hold of her, is as he that takes hold of a scorpion. A drunken woman is a great wrath: and her reproach and shame shall not be hid.
The fornication of a woman shall be known by the haughtiness of her eyes, and by her eyelids. -Sirach 26:6-9
The grace of a diligent woman shall delight her husband, and shall fat his bones. Her discipline is the gift of God.
Such is a wise and silent woman, and there is nothing so much worth as a well instructed soul. A holy and shamefaced woman is grace upon grace. And no price is worthy of a continent soul. As the sun when it rises to the world in the high places of God, so is the beauty of a good wife for the ornament of her house. As the lamp shining upon the holy candlestick, so is the beauty of the face in a ripe age. As golden pillars upon bases of silver, so are the firm feet upon the soles of a steady woman. As everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so the commandments of God in the heart of a holy woman. -Sirach 26:13-18
A woman’s beauty makes her husband’s face light up, and a man desires nothing more; if she have a tongue that can cure, and likewise mitigate and show mercy, his lot is beyond that of mortal men. A wife is her husband’s richest treasure, a helpmate, a steadying column. A vineyard with no hedge will be overrun; a man with no wife becomes a homeless wanderer. Who will trust an armed band that shifts from city to city? Or a man who has no nest, but lodges where night overtakes him? -Sirach 36:22-27
Children, and the building of a city shall establish a name, but a blameless wife shall be counted above them both.
-Sirach 40:19
A friend, a neighbor, are timely guides,
but better than either, a prudent wife. -Sirach 40:23
Raise a glad cry, you barren one who did not bear…For more numerous are the children of the deserted wife than the children of her who has a husband, says the Lord. Enlarge the space for your tent…lengthen your ropes and make firm your stakes. For you shall spread abroad to the right and to the left. -Isaiah 54:1
The Lord calls you back, like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, a wife married in youth and then cast off, says your God. For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great tenderness I will take you back. In an outburst of wrath, for a moment I hid My Face from you; but with enduring love I take pity on you, says the Lord, your redeemer. This is for me like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah should never again deluge the earth; so I have sworn not to be angry with you, or to rebuke you. Though the mountains leave their places and the hills be shaken, My love shall never leave you nor My covenant of peace be shaken, says the lord, Who has mercy on you. -Isaiah 54:6-10
All your sons shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children. -Isaiah 54:13
As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you. -Isaiah 62:5
Shall I bring a mother to the point of birth, and yet not let her child be born? says the Lord; or shall I who allowed her to conceive yet close her womb? says your God. -Isaiah 66:9
As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms and fondled in her lap; as a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you
-Isaiah 66:12-13
The children gather wood, their fathers light the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven, while libations are poured out to strange gods in order to hurt me. Is it I whom they hurt, says the Lord; is it not rather themselves, to their own confusion? -Jeremiah 7:18, 19
Is Ephraim not my favored son, the child in whom I delight? Often as I threaten him, I still remember him with favor; My heart stirs for him, I must show him mercy, says the Lord. -Jeremiah 31:20
Fear not, my children; call upon God! He who brought this upon you will remember you. As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God, turn now ten times the more to seek Him; for He who has brought disaster upon you will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy. -Baruch 4:27-29
Again I passed by you and saw that you were now old enough for love. So I spread the corner of my cloak over you to cover your nakedness; I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you; you became Mine, says the Lord God. Then I bathed you with water, washed away your blood, and anointed you with oil. I clothed you with an embroidered gown, put sandals of fine leather on your feet; I gave you a fine linen sash and silk robes to wear. I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms, a necklace about your neck, a ring in your nose, pendants in your ears, and a glorious diadem upon your head. Thus you were adorned with gold and silver; your garments were of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. Fine flour, honey and oil were your food. You were exceedingly beautiful, with the dignity of a queen. You were renowned among the nation for your beauty, perfect as it was, because of My splendor which I had bestowed upon you, says the Lord God. -Ezekiel 15:8-14
The son shall not be charged with the guilt of his father, nor shall the father be charged with the guilt of his son. The virtuous man’s virtue shall be his own, as the wicked man’s wickedness shall be his. -Ezekiel 18:20
Now there was a man that dwelt in Babylon, and his name was Joakim: And he took a wife whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared God. For her parents being just, had instructed their daughter according to the law of Moses… And there were two of the ancients of the people appointed judges that year, of whom the Lord said: Iniquity came out from Babylon from the ancient judges, that seemed to govern the people…And they watched carefully every day to see her. And one said to the other: “Let us now go home, for it is dinner time.” So going out they departed one from another. And turning back again, they came both to the same place: and asking one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust; and then they agreed upon a time, when they might find her alone. One day, while they were waiting for the right moment, she entered the garden as usual, with two maids only. She decided to bathe, for the weather was warm. Nobody else was there, except the two old men that had hid themselves and were beholding her. So she said to the maids: “Bring me oil, and washing balls, and shut the doors of the orchard, that I may wash.” And they did as she bade them: and they shut the doors of the orchard, and went out by a back door to fetch what she had commanded them, unaware that the elders were hidden inside. Now when the maids had gone, the two elders arose, and ran to her, and said: “Behold the garden doors are shut, and nobody sees us; give in to our desire, and lie with us. If you refuse, we will bear witness against you, that a young man was with you, and therefore you sent away your maids.” Susanna sighed, and said: “I am trapped: for if I yield, it will be my death: and if I refuse, I shall not escape your hands. But it is better for me to fall into your hands without guilt, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.” With that Susanna shrieked and the old men also shouted at her…The multitude believed them as being the elders and the judges of the people, and they condemned her to death. Then Susanna cried aloud, and said: “O eternal God, who knows hidden things, who knows all things before they come to pass, You know that they have borne false witness against me: here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things with which these wicked men have charged me.” And the Lord heard her voice. And when she was led to execution, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young boy, whose name was Daniel. And he cried out with a loud voice “I will have no part in the death of this woman.”…And Daniel said to the people: “Separate these two far from one another, and I will examine them…Now then, if you saw her, tell me under what tree you saw them conversing together.” He said: “Under a mastic tree.”…And having put him aside, he ordered the other one to be brought, and he said to him: …”tell me, under what tree did you take them conversing together?” And he answered: “Under a holm tree.”…With that all the assembly…rose up against the two elders…and they did to them as they had maliciously dealt against their neighbor, to fulfil the law of Moses: and they put them to death, and innocent blood was saved that day. Hilkiah and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, as did Joakim, her husband, and all her relatives -Daniel 13:1, 5, 12-24, 41-46, 51, 54-55, 58-59, 60-62, 63
I will espouse you to Me forever; I will espouse you in right and justice, in love and mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity, and you shall know the Lord -Hosea 2:21-22
It was I Who taught Ephraim to walk, Who took them in My arms; I drew them with human cords, with bands of love;
I fostered them like one who raises an infant to his cheeks
-Hosea 11:3-4
This also you do: the altar of the Lord you cover with tears, weeping and groaning, because He no longer regards your sacrifice nor accepts it favorably from your hand; and you say, “Why is it?”–because the Lord is witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have broken faith though she is your companion, your betrothed wife. Did He not make one being, with flesh and spirit: and what does that one require but godly offspring? You must then safeguard life that is your own, and not break faith with the wife of your youth. For I hate divorce, says the Lord, the God of Israel, and covering one’s garment with injustice, says the Lord of hosts; you must then safeguard the life that is your own, and not break faith. -Malachi 2:13-17
Whoever welcomes one such child for My sake welcomes Me. -Matthew 18:5
See that you never despise one of these little ones. I assure you, their angels in Heaven constantly behold My heavenly Father’s Face. -Matthew 18:10
And there came unto Him Pharisees, trying Him, and saying, Is it lawful [for a man] to put away his wife for every cause? And He answered and said, Have ye not read, that He who made [them] from the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder. They said to Him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to put [her] away? He said to them, Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, Whoever shall put away his wife, except for unlawful marriage, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and he that marries her when she is put away commits adultery. The disciples said to Him, If the case of the man is so with his wife, it is not expedient to marry. But He said to them, Not all men can receive this saying, but they to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs, that were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are eunuchs, that were made eunuchs by men: and there are eunuchs, that made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. -Matthew 19:3-12
Let the sons of the household satisfy themselves at table first. It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs. -Mark 7:27
Let the little children come to Me. Do not shut them off. The reign of God belongs to such as these. Trust Me when I tell you that whoever does not accept the kingdom of God as a child will not enter into it. -Luke 18:16-17
On the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus also was invited, and His disciples, to the marriage. And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus said to Him: “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her: “Woman, what is that to me and to you? My hour is not yet come.” His mother said to the waiters: “Do whatever He tells you.” Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece. Jesus said to them: “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And Jesus said to them: “Draw out now, and carry to the chief steward of the feast.” And they carried it. And when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, and knew not whence it came, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water; the chief steward called the bridegroom, And said to him: “Every man at first sets forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee; and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. -John 2:1-11
The husband should fulfill his conjugal obligations toward his wife, the wife hers toward her husband. A wife does not belong to herself but to her husband; equally, a husband does not belong to himself, but to his wife. Do not deprive one another, unless perhaps by mutual consent for a time to devote yourselves to prayer. Then return to one another, that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control. -I Corinthians 7:3-5 (the entire chapter is on marriage)
But to them that are married, not I but the Lord commands that the wife depart not from her husband. And if she depart, that she remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And let not the husband put away his wife. For to the rest I speak, not the Lord. If any brother has a wife that does not believe, and she consents to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And if any woman has a husband that does not believe, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not put away her husband. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife; and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband: otherwise your children should be unclean; but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart. For a brother or sister is not under servitude in such cases. But God has called us in peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you shall save your husband? Or how do you know, O man, whether you shall save your wife? -I Corinthians 7:10-17
I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ; the head of a woman is her husband; and the head of Christ is the Father…a man…is the image of God and the reflection of His glory. Woman, in turn, is the reflection of man’s glory. -I Corinthians 11:3, 7-8
Be subject one to another, out of reverence for Christ.
Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord: because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church. He is the savior of His body. Therefore as the Church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in all things. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church, and delivered Himself up for it: that He might sanctify it, cleansing it by the bath of water in the word of life: that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish. So also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife, loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, as also Christ does the Church: because we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh. This is a great sacrament; but I speak in Christ and in the Church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular love his wife as himself: and let the wife reverence her husband. Ephesians 5:21-33
You who are wives, be submissive to your husbands. This is your duty in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives. Avoid any bitterness toward them. You children, obey your parents in everything as the acceptable way in the Lord. And fathers, do not nag your children lest they lose heart. Colossians 3:18-21
She will be saved through childbearing, provided she continues in faith and love and holiness–her chastity being taken for granted. -I Timothy 2:15
To be on the Church’s roll of widows, a widow should not be less than sixty years of age. She must have been married only once. Her good character will be attested to by her good deeds. Has she brought up children? Has she been hospitable to strangers? Has she washed the feet of Christian visitors? Has she given help to those in distress? In a word, has she been eager to do every possible good work? Refuse to enroll the younger widows, for when their passions estrange them from Christ they will want to marry. This will bring them condemnation for breaking their first pledge. Besides, they learn to be ladies of leisure, who go about from house to house–becoming not only time-wasters but gossips and busybodies as well, talking about things they ought not. That is why I should like to see the younger ones marry, have children, keep house, and in general give our enemies no occasion to speak ill of us. -I Timothy 5:9-14
By their good example [the older women] must teach the younger women to love their husbands and children; to be sensible, chaste, busy at home, kindly, submissive to their husbands. Thus the word of God will not fall into disrepute. -Titus 2:3-5
Let marriage be honored in every way and the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. -Hebrews 13:5
You married women must obey your husbands, so that any of them who do not believe in the word of the gospel may be won over apart from preaching, through their wives’ conduct. They have only to observe the reverent purity of your way of life. The affectation of an elaborate hairdress, the wearing of golden jewelry, or the donning of rich robes is not for you. Your adornment is rather the hidden character of the heart, expressed in the unfading beauty of a calm and gentle disposition. This is precious in God’s eyes. The holy women of past ages used to adorn themselves in this way, reliant on God and obedient to their husbands–for example, Sarah, who was subject to Abraham and called him lord. You are her children when you do what is right and let no fears alarm you. You husbands, too, must show consideration for those who share your lives. Treat women with respect as the weaker sex, heirs just as much as you to the gracious gift of life. If you do so, nothing will hinder your prayers from being answered. In summary, then, all of you should be like-minded, sympathetic, loving toward one another, kindly disposed, and humble. Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult. Return a blessing instead. This you have been called to do, that you may receive a blessing as your inheritance. -I Peter 3:1-9
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give glory to Him;
for the marriage of the Lamb is come,
and His wife has prepared herself.
And it is granted to her that she should clothe herself
with fine linen, glittering and white.
For the fine linen are the justifications of saints.
And he said to me: Write: Blessed are they that are called
to the marriage supper of the Lamb. -Revelation 19:7-9
Heaven Sent & Homeward Bound 