The Mystery of crowning, reflects the mystical wedding that eternally unifies Jesus and the Church. Crowning signifies the beginning or establishment of a new kingdom which is based on mutual love. The meaning of the crowning derives from the meaning of Baptism. When we are baptized we are incorporated into the kingdom of God and raised to the dignity God’s children.
Spouses to be, therefore, are crowned with a mission to build a little Christian kingdom, their home and family. They will minister to them with the dignity of a“king” and “queen”. They will increase God’s kingdom with new members, fruit of their love, by begetting and educating their children according to the will of the Heavenly King.
Indeed the family is a “domestic church” as stated by the Second Vatican Council (Dogmatic constitution of the church, 11) ,and the Church is the kingdom of God on earth.
Saint John Chrysostom emphasizes the spiritual value of the head crowning with these words:
“the crowns are placed on the heads of the spouses as an emblem of victory, because those who contract conjugal life were not vanquished by passion”.
(ninth homily on 1 Timothy, P.G. 62.546).
God is one and Trinity. And Trinity means family; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Lord created us in His image and likeness, both as individuals and as family. He wants us to help each other preserve the holiness of the little Christian kingdoms, our homes, our families, and to walk along the pathways of life to the eternal Kingdom of God.
O Lord, sanctify all marriages and families.