In light of this understanding of Bridegroom and Bride, why is it that the Church is so protective
of the definition of marriage as a union of one man and one woman?
May be this too simplistic of an answer. One of the roles of a married life is pro-creation. In a same sex marriage this is not possible. The psychological effect on children who get adopted into these households are many. So, two people engage in these unions are engaging in adultery in God's eyes.
That certainly is not too simplistic an answer. Well maybe simplistic isn't the word to use. That answer may seem simplistic because it does not ramble on in descriptive, or argumentative language in order to cut off, or preemptively diffuse any possible objection - kind of like what I'm doing now.
God is pure simplicity; "God is love" 1 John 4:8. It is that simple; He is that simple. If we had not fallen through our first parents - hmmm, first parents, eh? Anyway, I digress. If we had not fallen through our first mom and dad, the ones whose instruction from God was to "Be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28), we would still see our human call in that simple light. As it is though we seem to need lengthy descriptions of things in order to cut off any avenue our minds decide to wander on, straying from the One who calls to us "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9).
The family is the "domestic church" and as such is an image of Christ and his bride (Ephesians 5, Revelation 19). This also means that the family is an image of God - the Creator. The only way to image the Trinity is to be able to "breathe forth life", or spirate as in to image the third person of the holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, bringing forth new life; creating as is God's nature. The "Great Commission" Jesus gave to his disciples was to do this: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). We know from John 3 that baptism is to be "born again", the act of the love between husband and wife.
In order to continue with this topic, I think it is necessary to first establish a definition of the word "marriage" since our modern culture has sought to un-define it and many do not understand what the word means.
For argument's sake, and any who contest this are free to offer their arguments so that clarity and truth may be gained, I would suggest that the word "marriage" is defined thus: A union between distinctly different, but complimentary things forming, or creating something new and unique.
Marriage is mostly associated with human matrimony, a word that speaks of motherhood, but may also relate to a union, fusion or mixture of other elements, or natures. One example where the word marriage is commonly used is in the culinary field where different flavors are "married" to create certain dishes. In this case it fits the definition because the distinctly different, but complimentary flavors are united for the creation of something new and unique.
How does this definition fit with regard to our Church and the family together and independently?
"A sacrament is an external, physical sign of an internal, spiritual reality". Marriage, being a sacrament, expressed by ritual can only be "the union of distinctly different, but complimentary things" through the union of man and woman physically. Here we can see the number "two" is completely unnecessary in defining marriage because there are only two types. Only through this physical union of the distinctly different things (man and woman) is it possible for something new and unique to be created. In this context we can also see how it cannot apply to those who are of the same sex because there is no complementarity in order to create a newness, it becomes nothing more than an agreement to share stuff and hopefully get along while engaging in misuse of the body. This also applies to those who intend to contracept because it defies the condition to unite the distinctly different reproductive products between man and woman. This shows the consistent and non-discriminatory conditions the Church has for marriage because the contracepting couple lives the same sterile relationship as the one of same sex.
As concerns the Church we can see the distinct difference between heaven and earth; eternity and time; God and man. We see Jesus establishing that union in the creation of his Church which brings forth life. During the Mass we acknowledge this distinctly different complementarity when we pray the "holy, holy, holy". In this prayer we seek the union of heaven and earth when we pray with the angels in heaven, recorded in Revelation 4:8, "Holy, holy holy, is the Lord God almighty" and then unite those heavenly words with the earthly words of praise the people prayed as Jesus rode into Jerusalem, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (Matthew 21:9). Jesus, through his self-offering reunites the distinctly different, but complementary heaven and earth which union had been severed by the sin of Adam and he "makes all things new" (Revelation 21:5).
The family is an image of God and as such marriage needs to image "union" in the same creative order God directed everything with. "What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder", Matthew 19:6. Is he talking about simply human marriage, or is he also maybe referencing the union between God and man?
Steve you are very proficient at writing, I tend to write less, LOL
Anyway, your definition seems proper, but clouds the issue with the "Other" uses of Married. For our purposes, I think we only need be concerned with human marriage. For me it is all defined here;
Genesis 1:
