Expert: Sal - 3/9/2007

Question
Hello. I had an urge to pick up my Daily Roman Missal today to do some reading. I must admit I don't do this very often and I hardly know if I'm reading the right page. I figured today to be the tenth week of ordinary time (may a refresher on how to read the DRM) and I came to Matthew 5: 27-32 where it says "anyone who marries a divorced women has committed adultery." Now my wife was previously married (this is my only marriage) very young, for short period and not in a Catholic church. Question: Did I overlook this and make a major mistake? Does God think I'm an adulterer?

Answer
Dear Myles:

We are not in Ordinary Time right now. We are currently in the 2nd week of Lent.

From what you tell me your wife's first marriage was probably invalid. By that I mean that since she was "very young" she probably did not understand with maturity what was required. Just because someone was married before man does not mean that one was married in God's eyes. Jesus said, "Let no man separate what God has joined" (Matthew 19:6). The key here is "what God has joined". The Catholic Church as God's representative on earth must determine if God has joined a couple in marriage. The Church has previously determined that God does not join immature people in marriage. This exception probably fits your wife's case. I don't believe that God would judge you to be in the sin of adultery.

I hope that this has helped you to ease your mind.

God Bless You,
Sal