Romancing the cynic

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 02 June 2007 19:57:08

Today, even the greatest cynic would have sighed and smiled broadly as they witnessed the wedding blessing of two of my friends, who I used to work with.

This are a couple who have been co-habiting for longer than I have known them (6+) years who recently decided to get married and then get the wedding blessed in church. Today was the blessing and it was one of the most moving things I have ever witnessed.

It was not an emotional event, particularly but it was a beautiful one in all sorts of ways. Whilst the frock was stunning and the way all the men from the toddler upwards were in suits was cool the beauty it possessed was a simpler, deeper one.

There was the blessing itself which was simple and obviously meaningful to them, despite the fact neither are particularly religious. There was also the way in which the priest spoke to this group of people, most of whom clearly never set foot in a church outside of weddings and funerals. He was brief and amusing but he was also touching and relevant.

He referred to the way the younger sons went to Sunday School at the church and they were within that parish and so they (they couple) were in contact with the church and were regarded as "part of the family". He then went on to very briefly talk about the fact many of us would be wondering "why are they bothering?" and said it was because they were stating that this was permenant and it was kind of like setting the resin which was already in the mold to make it permenant.

There was also they way he asked to the congregation to pray for the couple whenever they were writing cards to them for Christmas, etc. He recognised prayer was an alien concept for people so he asked the congregation to think about the couple whilst writing the card and as they wrote it just say "God, help their marriage to be a happy one".

Shine Jesus Shine was mumbled, sort of sung (again being unknown to many in the congregation) as we grinned at the couple leaving the church. Somehow even with that song there was the lack of cheese factor or collective feeling of "not this again" that you get when Christians sing it.

So all in all a very special day and I felt really priviledged that this special couple let me share in it.