Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the wedding which was celebrated this afternoon: another opportunity to encourage and to teach those who are starting out on the journey of life, and a chance for those who are well on the way to remember and reflect.
Does anyone here remember the day of his or her baptism? Do you remember the faces of the people who were present? Do you remember being held over the font, water being poured? Baptism is the first of the sacraments, the first of the moments when God shares his special gifts with us: his love, his joy, his peace, and from the day we begin to experience God’s love, God’s joy and God’s peace, we too begin to learn how to share these gifts with others. Each of the Sacraments is another moment when God gives a gift: food to strengthen us, which we call the Eucharist; forgiveness from sin, which is such a beautiful thing; holy wisdom, understanding, fortitude and knowledge, so that we can recognize His presence in our lives; a helper who will walk through life as a partner to share our joys and sorrows.
Today, we celebrate with Steve and Kaitlyn because God has brought them together. In one another, they have discovered the joy that the man in today’s first reading knew when he set eyes on the one he called woman. We celebrate with you today because this is the day you have looked forward to for such a long time. This is the day you will always look back upon as the first official day of your life together.
This is one of those days when God gives you a gift, and this gift will help you for the rest of your life. This gift will help you to discover every day, the love that God has for you. In the gospel passage you chose for this Mass, Jesus gave us a new commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you. None of us can live this life without the gift of love, so today, God gives you the gift of each other, a gift which will help you to discover each day the beauty of love, the strength and support that comes from love and the fragility of love. It’s easy to celebrate love when we think about it as something that makes us happy; this is true: it does make us happy, but we sometimes forget that love is also present when things aren’t going according to our plan. Love is God’s gift to you today, and God will never leave you alone, so ask him for the courage to believe that the love he gives you today can strengthen you to face the challenges that will come.
Steve and Kaitlyn, before we go any further, I want you do to something: take a moment right now to say a silent prayer for the one who is to be your wife, your husband. Thank God for the gift of this person in your life. Ask God for the courage to always believe in him, in her. Ask Jesus to grant you the eyes of faith that are capable of recognizing him every day in the person who is sitting beside you right now. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to always allow the love that you have come to know to be part of every word you will speak.
God’s gift of love, given today to these, his servants, will help them for the rest of their lives to love … not merely in word or speech, but in truth and action.
Wedding homily for Steve Malenfant and Kaitlyn Shoppoff
Does anyone here remember the day of his or her baptism? Do you remember the faces of the people who were present? Do you remember being held over the font, water being poured? Baptism is the first of the sacraments, the first of the moments when God shares his special gifts with us: his love, his joy, his peace, and from the day we begin to experience God’s love, God’s joy and God’s peace, we too begin to learn how to share these gifts with others. Each of the Sacraments is another moment when God gives a gift: food to strengthen us, which we call the Eucharist; forgiveness from sin, which is such a beautiful thing; holy wisdom, understanding, fortitude and knowledge, so that we can recognize His presence in our lives; a helper who will walk through life as a partner to share our joys and sorrows.
Today, we celebrate with Steve and Kaitlyn because God has brought them together. In one another, they have discovered the joy that the man in today’s first reading knew when he set eyes on the one he called woman. We celebrate with you today because this is the day you have looked forward to for such a long time. This is the day you will always look back upon as the first official day of your life together.
This is one of those days when God gives you a gift, and this gift will help you for the rest of your life. This gift will help you to discover every day, the love that God has for you. In the gospel passage you chose for this Mass, Jesus gave us a new commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you. None of us can live this life without the gift of love, so today, God gives you the gift of each other, a gift which will help you to discover each day the beauty of love, the strength and support that comes from love and the fragility of love. It’s easy to celebrate love when we think about it as something that makes us happy; this is true: it does make us happy, but we sometimes forget that love is also present when things aren’t going according to our plan. Love is God’s gift to you today, and God will never leave you alone, so ask him for the courage to believe that the love he gives you today can strengthen you to face the challenges that will come.
Steve and Kaitlyn, before we go any further, I want you do to something: take a moment right now to say a silent prayer for the one who is to be your wife, your husband. Thank God for the gift of this person in your life. Ask God for the courage to always believe in him, in her. Ask Jesus to grant you the eyes of faith that are capable of recognizing him every day in the person who is sitting beside you right now. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to always allow the love that you have come to know to be part of every word you will speak.
God’s gift of love, given today to these, his servants, will help them for the rest of their lives to love … not merely in word or speech, but in truth and action.
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