Joe
& Jen Wedding 23rd September 2015
I claim no originality for the Grace, I found this on the internet.
The 'Prayers' are from the Anglican Church web site for Weddings.
The poem 'It is a Gift' is mine so please recognize copyright.
Song of Songs – 8.6 & 1 John 4: 7 -12
‘Songs of Love’
‘Love
is all around us’ – but just what does this little word mean.
In the Greek language of the New Testament
there are four words used for love.
Eros – and I would hazard a guess you may
not know ancient Greek but you will know what that one means.
Philia - which is a kind of ‘brotherly
love’ – a love between equals and gives a name to an American City, but has
nothing to do with cream cheese!
Storge – which is the kind of love a parent
would have for their children.
And then Agape, which is often considered
to be the highest form of love. This is
a word still used today by some Christians as they gather together and share a
common life with each other.
Should you want to know more, then C.S.
Lewis, he of Narnia fame, wrote a book called ‘Four Loves.’
Now as rich as the English language is, we
have to make this one word do an awful lot of jobs and explain a whole raft of
ideas and emotions.
The hope is that we will understand the
context and make the necessary accommodation.
For example, later on Joe might be downing
a nice pint of Doombar in the bar and say, ‘I really love a nice pint of
ale.’
We should know that he means something
different from the covenant love he is now declaring for Jen.
Similarly, when Jen says that she loves her
Irregular Choice shoes – well, Jen loves her Irregular Choice shoes!
This short poem seeks to encapsulate
something of this small and yet very powerful word.
‘It Is a Gift’
Love
is word
Often
spoken
Seldom
heard
‘I
love you’
Means
what;
A
feeling, a desire?
Does
it mean, ‘I give?’
Does
it mean, ‘I always will?’
Does
it mean, ‘yours forever?’
In
the market it is cheap,
Ten
a penny, or even less;
But
in life, real life!
So
say it only once or twice,
And
enjoy every word,
Like
a jewel, precious and rare.
Because,
‘I love you’
Should
never mean,
But
now I don’t.
© Gordon
Banks 1981
It
is a Christian belief that all love emanates from God.
We
heard something of that in our second reading from the 1st Letter of
John.
1 John 4:7-12
My dear friends, we must love each other. Love comes
from God, and when we love each other, it shows that we have been given new
life.
God
is love.
There
is a story told of someone asking God just how much he loved them…
And
God stretched his arms and said, ‘this much.’
Again
from John’s Letter… ‘
God showed his love
for us when he sent his only Son into the world to give us life.
A Christian marriage is called to reflect
something of this deep, committed, covenantal love that God has for the world
and supremely for the Church, often referred to as the Bride of Christ.
So much so that in another New Testament
Letter written to the Ephesians we read…
A
husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and gave his
life for it. (Ephesians 5:25)
That’s a good quote to remember…
However, one quote worth forgetting is from
‘Love Story’
"Love means never having to
say you're sorry"
Yes it does and a thousand
times over.
We human beings are a
complex mix of fears, foibles and funny bits.
The real joy of giving yourself totally to another person in a deep,
committed covenantal relationship is that you can be utterly honest. However, you will mess up and to use a modern
phrase, ‘when you mess up - fess up.’
Joe and Jen, today you are
embarking upon a remarkable journey and you have called your friends and family
together to bear witness to the solemn vows you are to declare to each other.
You have invited a Priest
of the Church of God to bless and sanctify these solemn vows.
That’s the right place to
begin such a journey.
It is also the place to
continue that journey.
A journey that will bring it
share of joys as well as sorrows. There will also be a huge amount of simple
getting on with life bits, that may at times seem simple boring and very
ordinary.
However, from my own experience I can tell you that
having God at the very heart and core of that deep, covenanted commitment you
make to each other is the most important thing you could possibly do. You have
made a good start; my hope and prayer is that you both continue to look to God
to guide you on your journey through life together.
A message we could all do to heed!
‘A Fathers Blessing’
THE PRAYERS
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we lift up our hearts to
you
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through Him, you have made a covenant of grace with your people
by the outpouring of your Holy Spirit.
We praise you for the gift of marriage
in which the love of husband and wife
reveals your purposes of love for the world.
We thank you today for Joe and Jen
for leading them to each other
in friendship and love, commitment and trust,
and for bringing them here for the blessing of their marriage.
Living God,
by the presence of your Holy Spirit,
may they know the risen Christ to be with them now,
as they celebrate this covenant together.
May their lives be a witness to your saving love
in this troubled world.
As you pour out your love,
may they grow together in your sight,
and each be to the other
a companion in joy, a comfort in sorrow and a strength in need.
As you blessed the earthly home at Nazareth
with the presence of your Son,
may their home be a place of security and peace.
And bring us all at the last
to that great marriage banquet of your Son
in our home in heaven,
where, with all your saints and angels,
in the glory of your presence,
we will for ever praise you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through Him, you have made a covenant of grace with your people
by the outpouring of your Holy Spirit.
We praise you for the gift of marriage
in which the love of husband and wife
reveals your purposes of love for the world.
We thank you today for Joe and Jen
for leading them to each other
in friendship and love, commitment and trust,
and for bringing them here for the blessing of their marriage.
Living God,
by the presence of your Holy Spirit,
may they know the risen Christ to be with them now,
as they celebrate this covenant together.
May their lives be a witness to your saving love
in this troubled world.
As you pour out your love,
may they grow together in your sight,
and each be to the other
a companion in joy, a comfort in sorrow and a strength in need.
As you blessed the earthly home at Nazareth
with the presence of your Son,
may their home be a place of security and peace.
And bring us all at the last
to that great marriage banquet of your Son
in our home in heaven,
where, with all your saints and angels,
in the glory of your presence,
we will for ever praise you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever.
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever.
Amen.
THE GRACE
Let us give thanks for this beautiful day – for the
love between Joe and Jen which has brought us all together, and for the meal we
are about to enjoy.
Let us remember those who cannot be with us today, and
always be thankful for their part in our lives.
Let us be grateful for the joy of this occasion, and
grant us the grace to always offer our love and support to Joe and Jen.
May they always have love, strength and happiness in
their marriage.
We offer our thanks for all the good things in our
lives and in the world, and ask that this day and all present be blessed. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment