Midsummer Marriage

28 Apr 2023 • Articles

Weddings can seem magical at any time, and the month of June seems extra special, offering a fair chance of flowers, sunshine and warmth to welcome the day.

A wedding is one of life's great moments, a time of solemn commitment as well as happy thoughts, good wishes, celebration and joy. Marriage expresses the unity, loyalty, love and trust which the couple are bringing to their life together.

In the New Testament, St. John's Gospel chapter 2 describes how Jesus was invited to a wedding with his mother Mary and the disciples. The wedding was at a village called Cana, in the hill country near the lake of Galilee. Jesus gave a sign of blessing and new beginnings at that wedding by turning the water into wine.

The union of marriage has been given to human beings by God, who knows that men and women are seldom happy alone. God is love, and all love comes from God through his Holy Spirit. The love which is shared within a family is inspired by our heavenly Father's love for us and the love of his Son Jesus Christ for the Church.

Christian marriage is a creative relationship. God's blessing enables and assists husband and wife in loving and supporting each other in good times and bad, and in sharing in caring for and bringing up children. Marriage is based on a sacred, public, life-long agreement between two people, declared and celebrated in the presence of God. The people present in the congregation represent all the people in the world as they witness the couple making the covenant vows and being declared to be man and wife, in a union blessed by God for the whole of their life together. The congregation act for the whole community in expressing friendship, support and encouragement for the couple in their words and prayers, and often lively applause!

If you are invited to a wedding, remember that the ceremony is more important than the reception, the bride is more important than the bridal gown, the future is more important than the flowers and God is more important than all the wedding gifts.

With every blessing for everyone who is married or considering marriage,

Ann