Heaven Is Like A Wedding

This weekend a young couple celebrated their first Sunday Eucharist together as wife and husband. And as we share the body and blood of Christ, their young faces are glowing, full of hope and promise for their life ahead.

Saturdays often mean weddings during the month of September. It’s a magnificent time where the celebration takes part in and outside the church. There exists a touching connectivity of life’s cycle when you stand in an English churchyard, among the cemetery stones from centuries past, and you celebrate not only the couple’s marriage, but God’s blessings in the renewal of life.

Marriages for Christians haven't always taken place in churches. The couple used to make their marriage vows in the church porch, with family and friends gathered around to witness. The priest was there to register their commitment and then lead the party into church to pray with them.

In the eighteenth century the whole ceremony moved into the church and some clergy worried that it would look as though the priest was marrying the couple, where, in fact, the couple themselves are the ministers of their marriage.

They give themselves to each other lovingly and for life. The role of the priest is to witness, register, pray with and bless them. And it’s a great privilege and honour to be part of their life history.

Weddings aren't just for the happy couple. We often find ourselves thinking about our own relationship, giving thanks or asking forgiveness, mending hurts and renewing vows.

And always a favourite reading from St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13: ‘Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.’

You can see why Jesus said the kingdom of Heaven is like a wedding. It’s because love is irresistible and the love the couple have for each other overflows on us all. ‘Three things last for ever,’ said St Paul, ‘faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.’



Come Holy Spirit and fill our hearts with Your love at the start of this new day. Bless especially those making commitments to each other this week and all of us starting our lives anew today. Amen

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