getting real, getting married
4 Comments Published by carinasuyin | Wednesday, May 18, 2005 | 12:43 PM.
The last wedding I attended, the pastor spoke about terrorism in a marriage. I remembered almost keeling over by the time he finished his sermon. Of all the allegories, he had to choose that, for a wedding mass. Granted the groom was in the service of the army, but the content needed some vetting. The pastor called upon the congregation to not be terrorists to the couple’s marriage. He went on to describe that friends, colleagues, relatives, and even the parents-in-law can be potential terrorists. The mood of the sermon was heavy at its best and threatening in the worst.
Maybe I am a die-hard romantic expecting a loving/inspiring sermon but try as I might to listen without judging, I couldn’t find myself to nod in agreement and not be aghasted. Yes, a couple taking their wedding vows should be warned about potential disasters, but to enforce how much a marriage can be wrecked and using terrorism as the topic just smacks of aiiiieeeeee-phtui-ness! It was just so salah... I remembered making a mental note to put `check priest homily content’ in my wedding to-do list when I get married someday. Maybe I should even get reviews from previously married couples on priest selection… sheesh, I was really traumatized.
Yesterday, I attended another wedding. I took a deep breath the moment the priest (who was really young-looking) went up the podium to deliver his homily. He started by asking the couple how they fell in love. Then he spoke about why is it that the verb `falling’ is used to describe being in love rather than just `being’. Though young, the priest spoke with much warmth, sincerity and maturity.
He spoke about how one needs to lose something e.g. balance, grip, comfort, oneself, before falling. He reminded the bride and the groom that they needed to lose their expectations of each other in order to fall for each other, to accept each other as their new balance and strength. He related the first and second readings to what it means to be partners, lovers and a family. He emphasized how important it is that they both strive to fall in love with each other everyday for the rest of their lives together.
My trust and faith in priests and wedding vows have been renewed. Amen.
P.s. love gathers in clouds of nines
Maybe I am a die-hard romantic expecting a loving/inspiring sermon but try as I might to listen without judging, I couldn’t find myself to nod in agreement and not be aghasted. Yes, a couple taking their wedding vows should be warned about potential disasters, but to enforce how much a marriage can be wrecked and using terrorism as the topic just smacks of aiiiieeeeee-phtui-ness! It was just so salah... I remembered making a mental note to put `check priest homily content’ in my wedding to-do list when I get married someday. Maybe I should even get reviews from previously married couples on priest selection… sheesh, I was really traumatized.
Yesterday, I attended another wedding. I took a deep breath the moment the priest (who was really young-looking) went up the podium to deliver his homily. He started by asking the couple how they fell in love. Then he spoke about why is it that the verb `falling’ is used to describe being in love rather than just `being’. Though young, the priest spoke with much warmth, sincerity and maturity.
He spoke about how one needs to lose something e.g. balance, grip, comfort, oneself, before falling. He reminded the bride and the groom that they needed to lose their expectations of each other in order to fall for each other, to accept each other as their new balance and strength. He related the first and second readings to what it means to be partners, lovers and a family. He emphasized how important it is that they both strive to fall in love with each other everyday for the rest of their lives together.
My trust and faith in priests and wedding vows have been renewed. Amen.
P.s. love gathers in clouds of nines
Very impressive. Especially the part about having to let go of expectations to fall in love. :)
Michael
Heard of Domestic Partners?
Marriage is SO 20th Century.
LOL
To Pryde:
*yawn*
To Hershey boy:
"fuck you"