October 4, 2014
Anneliese Morgan Becker and Daniel John King
Genesis 1:26-28, 31; First
Corinthians 13: 1-13; Matthew 5: 1-12
Wow. Good afternoon
everyone! Family and friends . . .
. It is so great to be here today, as we
are witnesses and participants in this wonderful celebration of Christian
marriage. Anneliese and Dan, I would
simply personally and I know speaking for everyone here today, and with truly a
full heart, express my and our deepest thanks for including us, for inviting us
to be with you as this new page is turned, a new chapter begun. The three of us, and actually with William the
four of us, as he was such an active participant in our conversations, have
been preparing for this day for some time, with meaningful conversations—and it
has certainly been my pleasure to get to know you at this special time of your
lives.
Your family and friends stand with you here, as this page turns, a new
step in your relationship, your family.
We come together, and we can’t help but think, “this is, and this is going
to be, something special.” In the deep
mysteries of his Providence, God is doing a great thing. He has a great plan for your lives, only just
now beginning to unfold.
You both spent some time and gave careful thought to the selection of
the readings from Scripture to be read and shared at this service, and it was a
gift for all of us to hear them. The reading from Genesis underscores the
affirmation that I announced in the Opening Address of this service: “The bond and covenant of marriage was
established by God in creation.” A
reminder that marriage isn’t something we create or invent. We “enter into” marriage, which is something
deep and enduring, and a part of God’s plan for the human family. And the reading from St. Matthew reminds us
this afternoon that this particular marriage is being entered into today in the
context of a larger frame of reference of Christian life and discipleship and
stewardship. It’s not a thing to “have,”
but a life to live, and a work to do. A
vocation.
I want to pause just a moment over the familiar passage in the second
reading--from St. Paul’s letter to the new Christians of a small congregation
in the Greek town of Corinth. It’s a
congregation that Paul was instrumental in founding and clearly a group of
people who were dear to him, much loved.
We don’t know everything about the context of this particular letter,
but apparently word had come to him that there were some disputes and
controversies—social, spiritual, theological, that had begun to cause conflict and division
in the congregation.
Through the whole letter Paul addresses the issues at hand, but then in
the Thirteenth Chapter he goes on to talk about Christian life and conduct in
community, to describe what it means to live together as Christian people, even
when there are serious differences. As
there are always differences, whether in a large community, or even we might
say in a community of two.
Paul offers a kind of recipe, a model, a roadmap, a broad-brushstroke
picture of the deeper themes of what we are and what we can be at our very best
in Christian relationship. How we are
called to live by sharing in the image of Jesus himself, by patterning
ourselves in love following the love that he shared with us. Love is patient; kind; not envious or boastful
or arrogant or rude. It doesn’t insist
on its own way. Not irritable. Doesn’t hold on to resentments. It doesn’t find joy when another is hurt, but
rejoices when good triumphs. It bears
all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Thank you especially for selecting this reading for us—truly a gift. We can’t hear this word too often. A
great recipe for Paul as he addresses problems in the early church, but always
also a recipe for all of us to keep close, in our friendships, in our families
and communities, and meaningful that you
have shared it with us today on the day of your marriage. We might almost say that sharing this reading
with your family and friends is the first step, the first example, of the work
you are being called to do in your marriage from here on out. We say this is a “sacrament” because in
marriage you two become outward signs of God’s grace and love. He is going to be using you to communicate
his love to others, and that is the work you are called to do and that we
acknowledge and celebrate today.
The prayers and blessings of this day don’t just
happen in this one moment of your wedding, but they go out with you into your
marriage and life together, from this day forward, and will be around you and
under you and with you all the days of your life. God has great
plans for you, for each of you, and for you together as husband and wife, for
William, as we know him already to be such a great person and presence in our
lives, and for all your family.
That’s the great and wonderful thing we celebrate. I don’t know
what they are in the particulars. None of us do. The future is held
for us in the heart of our loving God. But
he is beginning to reveal them to you and to us now, in this moment this afternoon.
And it’s a privilege for us to be here with you.
And now as Dan and Anneliese prepare to exchange the
vows that will make them husband and wife, let us pause for a moment and bow
our heads and in the quiet of our own hearts offer a prayer of love and
blessing for them—that they will be surrounded and embraced by love and
blessing all the days of their lives.
The Rev. Bruce M. Robison, D. Min.
Rector, St. Andrew’s Church, Highland Park
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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