My little brother is twelve. He knows I'm discerning a vocation. His favorite question to ask is why can Jesus have a lot of Brides. He wants to know why does that not constitute polygamy. His little mind doesn't fully comprehend his whole argument so I cannot explain it in a way best for him to understand it.

I figure, since you guys are all discerning being future Brides of Christ or you are ... that you can give me a simple answer that will hush his little objections.

Thanks guys.

God bless!

In Jesus and Mary,
Marie

As Jesus is love incarnate, He is able to enjoy a unique friendship with each and every person. This means that He is able to devote Himself fully (body and blood, soul and divinity) to all of us. Divine friendship does not have the same limitations as earthly friendship. In the words of Blessed Maria Schinina: "The heart of Jesus is very large that whole worlds may enter."

It would also be a good idea to point out that a nun isn't Christ's literal wife - the term Bride of Christ is employed as a poignant metaphor to emphasise the complementarity between lover, love, and beloved.

It's the emphasis on this literal interpretation of the term that lies pretty near the core of my own reluctance to apply it to my own relationship with Christ. That and the problem of whether male religious are also Brides.

PP

Hi Marie! Well, you could say to your brother how the Church is the one Bride of Christ, and her individual members are united as this one Bride. This is the model for marriage on earth, Christ and the Church, His Bride.

But the love between Christ and each soul is a higher love than that of the world, and as there are many angels in Heaven united to God, so there are many souls.

I love the term, bride of Christ! I think that this term really can be literal, because a bride in this world is but a reflection of the Bride of Christ, the Church, and her individual members.

But yes, I would agree that you should tell him that a nun isn't considered Christ's literal wife. However, St. Teresa definitely called Jesus her husband. I would just emphasis that it is a differnet love, a Divine Love, than that of human love on earth - the point CA made of Jesus being love incarnate, and therefore able to love each soul in a unique way and give Himself fully to each is great!!

I would agree with Margaret Clare in taking the term "Bride of Christ" for religious literally. I think it is actually more literally than a couple who enters into matrimony, because their union is only temporal. The bride of Christ is united with Jesus on earth, but the union in heaven will never end; it is a foreshadowing of heaven for each soul.

I see you're back. Anything to share with us?

About the image of the nun as "bride of Christ:. First, it is an image of the Church, then each soul and then the nun. It's not as pronounced in some traditions, especially the monastic tradition, as others, such as the Poor Clares. Our consecrated sponsality takes it's meaning from our baptismal consecration. Religious profession is not only a "re-baptism" but a new and deeper consecration as well.

Some women, like puella paschalis aren't as comfortable with the image as Bride of Christ as others and I think that's because some can make it sentimental and gushy. In point of fact, being the bride of Christ (I prefer "spouse".) is demanding because we are consecrated to a Crucified Spouse!

Sponsa Christi has great meaning for me and my own vocation.

Marie, I'm not sure exactly what I'd tell your little brother, myself! There are some good suggestions here on the thread. I think I would just tell him that being a bride of Christ means that you belong totally to Jesus.

I have been hoping you would post in this thread because I wanted to know what a religious would say about this! Thanks for your comments; they are very insightful.

More on my visit later (thank you for asking!) ... I am out the door right now (I was in Marbury this past weekend:))

In Jesus,
Lauren

Thanks for the insight! That's especailly interesting that it is not as pronounced in other monastic traditions. I know the Sisters of Bethlehem do relate to the term Bride of Christ. They have a saying, I think it may be from some writer, I'm not sure - "Never ask the Bridegroom where He is taking you." (in other words, they mean, trust Him, and follow Him with confidence)

I was searching online for Sponsa Christi, and can't find it in English. Does anyone know where we can get it? I see that Jen started a thread asking this a couple years ago.

The other ones like, Verbi Sponsa, Vita Consecrata, & Sacra Virginitas can be found in English.

Regarding whether a male religious can be a bride of Christ, I think yes, because all members of the Church are called to this, as Sr. Mary Cartharine said. Writings by male religious that really have this spirit such as St. John of the Cross and also St. Paul of the Cross come to mind.

Priests are often referred to as married to the Church, in union with Jesus. Fr. Corapi says something like this. I think also that priests can be brides of Christ, again because we are all members of the Church, the Bride of Christ - though traditionally this term is usually reserved for women religious. Reading the documents on priestly celibacy and consecrated religious life would probably help to clarify the difference - but also each person's spirituality is unique.

One book that comes to mind here is The Way of Divine Love, by Sr. Josefa Menendez. I came across it from a recommendation by a friend who is now with the Contemplative Sisters of St. John :j It was after reading just a couple lines of this book, that I felt called to cloistered religious life, and realized its apostolic significance for the salvation of souls. When I spoke with a sister at Iron Mountain Carmel, she said she experienced the same thing specifically after reading this book. It's a powerful read!

In it, Jesus calls Sr. Josefa His Bride, even as a novice before professing any vows. Also I remember one scene where she saw Our Lord in the refectory with all the sisters, and He said, "Here I am among My Brides."

This is private revelation, not part of De Fide, so it is not obligatory to believe, as the official documents are. For reference though, it has the Nihil Obstat & Imprimatur, and a letter of approval in the beginning by Cardinal Pacelli, who was later, Pope Pius XII.

Christ's literal wife, as in a marriage in this world. But literal Bride, for all eternity, yes - which is what the Church is.


Very well said.

To Be the Bride of Christ

Males are not brides of Christ. Priests are married to the Church, Sisters are married to Christ. I do not know the phrase that would apply to either Monks or Religious Brothers.