Here is the homily I prepared for the celebration of the wedding that took place earlier today: some thoughts about the most important gifts that can be offered and received.
People gather in this church to celebrate all kinds of significant moments. Parents bring their children to this community and ask us to welcome them into this family of faith, to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism. Throughout the lives that unfold from that moment on, parents, grandparents and other teachers of faith provide these children with the example of their own faith: they demonstrate their own belief in the mercy of God as they allow their children to see them celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and this motivates the children to want to experience Christ’s mercy for themselves; similarly, as children witness their parents receiving the Eucharist, they too learn about the special food that nourishes our souls and strengthens us so that we can be witnesses of God’s mercy in the world.
Today, Brad and Claudette have come to celebrate another moment of joy. They have invited all of you to witness this celebration and to pray with them, asking God for his blessing upon the life that they are beginning.
The passage from the Book of Genesis that we heard today tells us that God made humanity in his own image (Gn 1:26). Have you ever stopped to consider what that means? God created all of us in his image. That means that when we look into each other’s faces, we are looking into the face of God.
When God saw what he had created, who he had created, he blessed them (Gn 1:28) and indeed it was very good (Gn 1:31). From the day of your birth (Brad and Claudette), God has loved you. On the day of your baptism, he welcomed you. Throughout the moments of adventure and misadventure, he has always been close to you, watching you, caring for you, and today, as you come to him, he willingly blesses you and shares in the joy that is in your heart.
The wedding that you are celebrating today has taken many months to prepare, but when this day is finished, it will be a thing of the past. You will look back on this day for years to come, and be able to tell others about the joy and the celebration of this day, but today is the beginning of your marriage, a state of blessing that will last for the rest of your life.
As the Church has been present throughout your lives, our doors will always be open to welcome you, to support you, to love you and to celebrate with you, and Christ’s love will always play a part in your life. This is the gift that He gives to you today. Abide in his love (Jn 15:9). Look for signs of his love every day, and every time you find one, celebrate it joyfully. It will be present in happy times and in moments of struggle. Love will be present to guide you if ever you should feel lost or overwhelmed. Love will console you if ever there should be moments of sadness. Even in the times when you might feel as though the warmth of love has left you behind, it will still be there, a flickering flame, ready to warm your heart.
Once we have experienced the power of this love, we will also discover the fact that can never keep it for ourselves. Love must always be given away, shared with those around us. Treasure the gift that is given to you today. Like the Eucharist that strengthens our faith, love is the proof of our faith in all that Jesus has told us. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things (1 Cor 13:7), and will accompany you every day of your lives together, until the day that you enter into the Father’s house in heaven.
Abide in his love
Homily for the wedding of Bradley John Carriere and Claudette Mary Yungwirth
People gather in this church to celebrate all kinds of significant moments. Parents bring their children to this community and ask us to welcome them into this family of faith, to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism. Throughout the lives that unfold from that moment on, parents, grandparents and other teachers of faith provide these children with the example of their own faith: they demonstrate their own belief in the mercy of God as they allow their children to see them celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and this motivates the children to want to experience Christ’s mercy for themselves; similarly, as children witness their parents receiving the Eucharist, they too learn about the special food that nourishes our souls and strengthens us so that we can be witnesses of God’s mercy in the world.
Today, Brad and Claudette have come to celebrate another moment of joy. They have invited all of you to witness this celebration and to pray with them, asking God for his blessing upon the life that they are beginning.
The passage from the Book of Genesis that we heard today tells us that God made humanity in his own image (Gn 1:26). Have you ever stopped to consider what that means? God created all of us in his image. That means that when we look into each other’s faces, we are looking into the face of God.
When God saw what he had created, who he had created, he blessed them (Gn 1:28) and indeed it was very good (Gn 1:31). From the day of your birth (Brad and Claudette), God has loved you. On the day of your baptism, he welcomed you. Throughout the moments of adventure and misadventure, he has always been close to you, watching you, caring for you, and today, as you come to him, he willingly blesses you and shares in the joy that is in your heart.
The wedding that you are celebrating today has taken many months to prepare, but when this day is finished, it will be a thing of the past. You will look back on this day for years to come, and be able to tell others about the joy and the celebration of this day, but today is the beginning of your marriage, a state of blessing that will last for the rest of your life.
As the Church has been present throughout your lives, our doors will always be open to welcome you, to support you, to love you and to celebrate with you, and Christ’s love will always play a part in your life. This is the gift that He gives to you today. Abide in his love (Jn 15:9). Look for signs of his love every day, and every time you find one, celebrate it joyfully. It will be present in happy times and in moments of struggle. Love will be present to guide you if ever you should feel lost or overwhelmed. Love will console you if ever there should be moments of sadness. Even in the times when you might feel as though the warmth of love has left you behind, it will still be there, a flickering flame, ready to warm your heart.
Once we have experienced the power of this love, we will also discover the fact that can never keep it for ourselves. Love must always be given away, shared with those around us. Treasure the gift that is given to you today. Like the Eucharist that strengthens our faith, love is the proof of our faith in all that Jesus has told us. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things (1 Cor 13:7), and will accompany you every day of your lives together, until the day that you enter into the Father’s house in heaven.
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