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I Corinthians 13:1-13, John 15:9-12
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, West Valley City, UT
The Rev'd W. Lee Shaw
OK. Tammy and Craig, take a deep breath. We are almost there. After all the planning and working, the shopping and decision making, the fun and frustrations of planning a wedding, here we are. So take a deep breath.
I have been privileged to walk with you through much of this. And by this, I do not mean just today, but from when you first walked into the doors of St. Stephen’s church. I remember watching the two of you first at WOW and then on Sundays, a bit shy and unsure, yet willing to take the risk and check out these Episcopalians. (Risky business at best.)
I enjoyed our time in classes as you learned about the Christian faith as expressed in the Episcopal Church. I was fascinated by your questions and so encouraged with your desire, willingness, to learn new things, explore new possibilities in faith, and take part in the life of this community.
You both have already started to make your mark on this community. Perhaps the most tangible and physical is the beautiful granite cross in our soon-to-be columbarium from Craig. I know the hours you have spent out there helping us in this work. But beyond granite crosses is your presence with us, your gifting of yourselves to this community. We have welcomed you and I hope challenged you in some ways as well in your faith journey and spirituality. You are valued members of this faith community and we all rejoice with you in this celebration of your wedding.
I baptized each of you on All Saints Sunday last year. That was a very
special moment, as much as this time together only different. In baptism
you are brought into the Body of Christ, the church. In baptism you are
re-born in water and the spirit. In baptism you become a new person.
In baptism you are sealed by the Holy Spirit in baptism and marked as
Christ’s own forever.
You are sealed as Christ’s own forever.
You are sealed to God. God loves you and there is nothing you can do
about it.
I was one of the folks who presented you for Confirmation by Bishop Irish when she was here on Pentecost Sunday. You have been confirmed in the Episcopal Church, you have received the blessing and anointing of our bishop. You are indelibly marked as a Christian. Nothing can remove that. Nothing can change that. God loves you and there is nothing you can do about it.
And now we come to your wedding day. A day we have talked about for some time. A day you have planned and worked for for so long. After the planning and the purchasing, after the flowers and the invitations, after the lists and revised lists, after the decisions on colors (even pink), after the pre-marital counseling classes, after the frustrations and fun of all that goes into planning a wedding: it finally comes down to three simple things. A touch. A promise. A blessing.
In a few moments you will stand before me and hold each other’s hands. You will touch and hold. You will feel the other. You will know the other through the squeeze of nervous fingers. You touch and know the humanity, the reality of who you are as individuals and as a couple.
Then the promise. You will make promises to each other, ...to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. You will seal this promise with everything you have to offer: you promise your very life to one another. There is no stronger seal to a promise of love than that of your very life.
Then I will wrap your hands in my stole and announce your marriage with the blessings of the church and the sanctions of the state. This symbolizes the blessing of the church on your union in the covenant of marriage, your touch is wrapped in the church as physical and symbolic sign of these promises.
Then the blessing. You will kneel here and I will bless you that
your love may be, ...a seal upon their hearts, a mantle about their
shoulders, and a crown upon their foreheads.
This blessing will be
sealed by the invocation of the Holy Trinity upon you and your marriage.
This is a lot to take in on your wedding day, when emotions are already running high and all is a swirl of wonder and light. So, I ask you for now to remember but three things from St. Paul: faith, hope, and love.
Continue to have faith in the God who created you in the divine image, redeemed you in love and continues to sanctify you in the Holy Spirit.
Continue to live in hope with each other. You are two individuals in one couple. Live into the hopes of the other as you live into the hopes and dreams of you as a couple.
Continue to love. That may be odd to say on a wedding day, but it is more than just you. Continue to love God. Continue to love all those around you as your very self. Continue to love yourself as a unique creation of God. Continue to love one another in your touch, promise and blessing of this covenant of marriage. And remember, God loves you and there is nothing you can do about that.