The nature of sacramental marriage - The Arlington Catholic Herald

The nature of sacramental marriage - The Arlington Catholic Herald by Russell Shaw.  My response: The sacrament of marriage is always between the parties.  It is morally the basic adult right to leave one's family of origin and cleave to another in a new family, with both a new family being created and the two families of origin joined.  Since canonically, this can happen with an infertile couple (due to either age or medical condition), nothing more than an archaic view of sexuality prevents gays from sacramental marriage.  Indeed, if Jesus as bridegroom is also the Jesus who washed the feet of his disciples, there is nothing to indicate that marriage must be a relationship where the male dominates the female.  Celebrating gay weddings might, in fact, provide a much needed lesson on equality in marriage to those who cling to both women and the laity knowing their place (both within the marriage and in the Church).