Marriage and Vatican II

In Vatican II, the constitution says that marriage is to be highly esteemed and preaches the "lofty calling" of spouses and parents. Although marriage is still considered a huge step in one's life, it does not exist on the same pedestal that the Church believes it should be. Because of the ease with which one can get a divorce and then remarry, marriage does not exist as a binding, eternal commitment. Vatican II council also states that marriage is a vocation. Most people today don't view it that way. Marriage, for some, is restrictive and binding. One's marriage is not placed at the forefront of one's life today. The constitution also stated that "conjugal love is not a fleeting event, but the patient project of a lifetime." Today, we exist in a world of instant gratification. The idea of spending one's entire life growing to understand and truly love someone is not a task that most wish to complete. The divorce rate is very high, allowing couples to forego this idea of a lifetime commitment. The constitution also states that the love between two spouses should grow and develop over time. Rather than being patient with one another and allowing their relationship to mature, some couples take the easy way out with divorce. Most couples do allow their love to grow, but not as much as they did in the past.