Married or Single?

A couple of my Facebook friends who have been married for quite a while have decided to divorce. I knew this a couple of weeks ago but yesterday they announced it on Facebook, and one of them changed their status to 'Single'. Which set me thinking about whether one is single prior to the rather long process of divorce.

I was very taken when I was studying for ordination by a question that our Doctrine Lecturer, Gerald Hegarty, posed. He asked when a couple were actually married, was it when they signed the register, was it when the Priest announced that they were man and wife, was it when the relationship was consummated or was it when the couple decided in their hearts that they were committed to love one another for ever? We came down on the side of the commitment in their hearts, thus the marriage service was a sign of what had already happened, in the same way that adults don't become Christians when they get baptised, but baptism is also a sign of what has happened.

So perhaps it is most appropriate, that one becomes single when it is announced on Facebook, more so than when the courts decide, for if a couple gets married when they are committed in their hearts then perhaps the couple get unmarried when that commitment is withdrawn.