Marriage, one of the seven sacraments, must be understood in the whole sacramentality of the salvation history, rooted in Christ who is the very first sacrament. The sponsal structure of the Church expresses our reception of the Son, Gift of God. Marriage affects the personal relation of the Christian with Christ and with his Church. The author describes the historical sponsal symbols of that sacrament and then deals with the movement of «blessings and mutual gifts» such as expressed in the liturgy. The essential features of matrimonial consent are studied in the light of this theology of gift. Sacramental affinities with Baptism and Eucharist show the unity of the sacramental economy. Fecundity is shown as a sign of gratuitous love. The link of grace between Christ and the spouses is a covenant, in which God is at work at the heart of human love. There is a specific grace tied to the sacrament of marriage.
