Nuns -- Brides of Christ?

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Could someone help me understand this concept?

I know that a woman who chooses religious life considers herself “married” to Jesus because she gives herself to Him totally. But where did this wording and concept originate?

When a woman takes her vows, is that a sacrament? Is it Holy Orders (which I thought was for priests only) or is it Matrimony (which I thought was for man-woman only)? And why does Jesus have so many brides? Doesn’t that seem a bit odd? If the Church is His Bride, why all the others?

I’m not doubting the Church teaching on this, just need some explanation and help.
 
What is marriage? Vowing your life to the service and wellbeing and aid of another, despite any obstacle that may come along.

All celebate religious make this vow to Christ. Hense he is their groom.

(That’s a shoddy explanation of how cool and deep the concept really is, but its a place to start. I’ll let others go into a better description.)

A vow to a religious order is not an ordination, nor any other sacrament. Marriage is a sacrament because the couple needs the grace to overcome sinfulness to serve eachother. God is perfect, we need no special grace to overcome problems in our relationship with him past the sacraments of initiation and confession.

Josh
 
Thanks, Josh. I’m still having a hard time getting my brain around this concept. Any other insights please??
 
Didi- This is speculation on my part-but your question is one I have asked myself.

The church is The Bride of Christ–all of us are members of the church. Religious choose to live this reality --this is their witness. Where we know our relationship with Christ is personal and intimate it is also communal. The sacrament of marriage was the forerunner of the relationship Christ would have with his bride-- the church.

I have taken a long break from expressing myself so please respond with holes that I may have left in my explanation-I am much better with dialogue. Peace–
 
The Catechism has MUCH to say on the Church being the Bride of Christ. This is just one small passage:

**796 The unity of Christ and the Church, head and members of one Body, also implies the distinction of the two within a personal relationship. This aspect is often expressed by the image of bridegroom and bride. The theme of Christ as Bridegroom of the Church was prepared for by the prophets and announced by John the Baptist. The Lord referred to himself as the “bridegroom.” The Apostle speaks of the whole Church and of each of the faithful, members of his Body, as a bride “betrothed” to Christ the Lord so as to become but one spirit with him. The Church is the spotless bride of the spotless Lamb. “Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her.” He has joined her with himself in an everlasting covenant and never stops caring for her as for his own body: **This is the whole Christ, head and body, one formed from many . . . whether the head or members speak, it is Christ who speaks. He speaks in his role as the head (ex persona capitis) and in his role as body (ex persona corporis). What does this mean? “The two will become one flesh. This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the Church.” And the Lord himself says in the Gospel: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh.” They are, in fact, two different persons, yet they are one in the conjugal union, . . . as head, he calls himself the bridegroom, as body, he calls himself "bride."

It is my understanding that nuns have been described of as the “brides of Christ” because as female chaste religious they take vows (very similar to those vows made by folks getting married) to love and serve Christ. Hence the title “Brides of Christ.” This is not to accuse Christ of polygamy- we are speaking in metaphorical language here.
 
But I think that nuns indeed consider themselves spouses of Jesus – I have heard them speak and write in this way.

I guess because we think of marriage in a conjugal sense, then having more than one bride seems adultrous.

Yes this is a type of union that is not sexual, although it is unitive. And I agree with onaquest that we ALL participate in an intimate relationship with Jesus, especially in receiving Him in holy communion.

Guess I’m trying to put earthly constraints on Our Lord, which I know I can’t do.

Thanks for your responses. More insights are welcome!
 
Most spiritual writers (principally St John of the Cross) describe every human soul as a bride in relation to Christ, the Bridegroom. However, some people serve as icons for the reality better than others. So, a female will represent that reality better than a man. And a celibate female even more… and a vowed celibate female even more. I say this because vowed celibates have consecrated their bodies to God publically and formally.

A vowed celibate then becomes a visible and living icon of that spousal relationship that we all have by virtue of being Christians.
 
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eremos:
A vowed celibate then becomes a visible and living icon of that spousal relationship that we all have by virtue of being Christians.
Click to expand...
Thank you, eremos, your description is very beautiful and helpful.
 
Yes–yes–Yes!!! Just as the whole structure of a church building is consecrated so more so the chalice and the paten have a particular intimate function in the liturgy.

Does that make sense?
 
Yes, I think I’m finally starting to get this!

I have heard of this intimate union at communion used to explain to non-Catholics why they cannot receive communion. Just as a husband and wife do not consummate their relationship until they make a vow in front of the witnesses of their Church community of devotion and faithfulness to each other; so Catholics make a vow in front of their Church community of faithfulness to the Church and Her teachings and devotion to Jesus Truly Present in the Holy Eucharist before receiving their First Communion.

It is indeed an intimate experience each time we receive Our Lord. For celibate religious, it is so much more as it is a joining to the one they have dedicated their lives to – yet it can also be the same for all of us!

Jesus’ love for each one of us and His desire for intimacy with each one of us goes beyond our capacity to understand!
 
To expand the conversation a bit, I’d add that a married couple with children is a beautiful icon to the celibates (of all varieties). The family is an icon of the Trinity and the Holy Family. Men are icons of Christ and fathers are icons of the Heavenly Father. In this way the many vocations in the Church help each other.

In addition, holiness will really make those icons shine 🙂
 
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