Having posted several times about my son’s wedding last weekend (how could I not?), it seemed only right to post a photo of the young couple (James and Anna). I asked one of my extremely talented, artistic children who had all of the photos in digital form to send me a few wedding pictures this week so that I could share them – but strangely – none of the pictures were of the bride and groom together. Having arrived home a little earlier this evening – I have now acquired a photo for sharing. I know that our earthly marriages are only an image of the union between Christ and His Church – but it would be hard to imagine greater joy than I saw in this young couple last Sunday. Again, I thank so many of you for your prayers and your many well wishes. We are very pleased – to say the least.
Father, bless,
What a lovely couple. Many Years
A very handsome man and a beautiful woman! May God grant them many, many blessed years!
He is a handsome young man. He fancies that he looks like me – but I’m much shorter and of much less noble countenance. I think he favors his maternal greatgrandfather – though he never saw him to make the comparison. But he is a fine young man with a beautiful bride.
I have noticed over many years that weddings have a way of transforming, almost transfiguring young couples (as they should). The radiance I have seen surrounding that sacrament is one of the treasures of my heart.
Many years!
We celebrate in the celebration of your son and new daughter. Such is the power of joy, particularly in the sacrament of marriage as you have said, to transform into radiance and to reveal as radiant “just” a man–“just” a woman. Such is the power of joy to fill then spill out onto everyone present (even days afterward via cyberspace). Such is the nature of joy, that of prodigality: a lavish profusion of generosity. (One dictionary even defines it as “recklessly wasteful”–an interesting contrast to the utilitarianism referred to a few postings back. The latter clearly belongs to the world and is ultimatley indistinguishable from stinginess. The former clearly belongs to the kingdom of God and His righteousness.)
Surprisingly, even some sectors of science have been granted the eyes to see, and thus to conclude, that human beings are creatures of joy, that our true home (identity) is joy, that the message of joy in its essence is, “I’m glad to be with you.”
We are glad to be with you, Father, as you faithfully deliver the only sermon you know, handed to you by your Bishop, handed to him by his bishops through the ages. We are glad, by some measure, to be with your son and his beautiful bride made possible through your joy, through the lavish riches of God with us.
Fr. Joseph Hirsch calls the wedding, especially the feast afterwards, “a foretaste of the banquet that awaits us in the heavenly Kingdom” and one that we should be preparing for. It is wonderful imagry when it is done properly.
May God grant them many years!
I’m a new reader to your blog, and also recently married (2 months ago), so I know the joy your son and daughter-in-law have now. May God bless them richly!