Marriage in the Catholic Church is more than a civil union between two people: it is a sacrament. This means the marriage goes beyond the legal implications of joining two lives together and extends out into the world as a sign of the covenant between Christ and His people. As one of only 7 sacraments, marriage in the Catholic Church should be a symbol of God’s divine love. Choosing wedding rings that incorporate this view helps couples both share this message out into the world while also serving as a personal reminder of the unbreakable bond spouses share.

Sacrament vs. sacramental

According to the Catechism: “The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.” (1131).  As the body of believers within the Church, we make visible what God is doing in the invisible through our celebration of these sacraments. A wedding is more than a joyous occasion – it is an outward sign to the world of God’s grace through the sacrament of marriage.

 

A sacramental, on the other hand, “are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments” (CCC 1667). While the Church recognizes that many items are sacramental through the popularity of the Christian people (CCC 1674), wedding rings can also become sacramentals through a Catholic wedding ring blessing. Wedding rings created at 31Four Artisan Jewelry are created with the vision of creating a sacramental in mind at every step. When at all possible, we create our wedding rings in the same crucible, from the same precious metal. This is to manifest the words Jesus spoke in saying:

But 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.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate. (Mark 10:6-9)

We also incorporate prayer during the creation of our wedding rings, praying specifically for the couple’s intentions so that their sacramental wedding rings can be rooted in prayers and blessings for their marriage.

Through the sacraments, we have been given a wonderful opportunity from God to share His love with the world. Marriage in particular helps us demonstrate both God’s grace and covenant. Intentionally choosing sacramental wedding rings can be a powerful way to keep your marriage rooted in this important sacrament.