This next week, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on two of the most significant legal challenges to marriage in our nation’s history.

Hollingsworth v. Perry will be heard on March 26 and centers around California’s Proposition 8, a statewide marriage amendment – much like Arizona’s – which passed in 2008 to constitutionally define marriage as only the union of one man and one woman.

United States v. Windsor will be heard the following day and concerns the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This law defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman for purposes of federal law and says no state can be forced to recognize a same-sex union from another state.

If there’s anything we’ve learned from the Supreme Court in recent years, it’s that it is impossible to speculate what the court will do in either of these cases. Yet there is no denying that the decisions from these two cases – which typically are announced by June 30 – will have serious impact on the battle to protect marriage and therefore our country’s future.

The fundamental question that the court will be considering in both cases is this: does marriage, defined as the union of one man and one woman, serve a compelling governmental interest? Or to put it another way, does marriage benefit society?

The most important thing we can do now is pray. Pray for our friends and allies defending these laws in court and pray for wisdom and courage for the nine justices to do what is right.

http://www.azpolicy.org/_blog/5_Minutes_for_Families/post/Before_the_High_Court_/