Can You See It?

Last Saturday, I assisted at the wedding of two of my former students (one of them a peer minister) along with her Presbyterian minister. We sort of "tag-teamed" it, and after his erudite sermon with quotes from Stanley Hauerwas, it was my turn. I, too had a quote:

It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm taking
I ain't never gonna shut you out!

Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby, I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby, I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away

Do you see it, R---? How about you, B---?

Do you see the halo?

As your campus minister – albeit for only a year – I can tell you that I and those friends who knew you well saw how good the two of you were together. I hope that you have too! (I’d imagine that we would not be here today if you didn’t!) But the reason we are here today is more than simply to watch you exchange vows, smooch and cut wedding cake. We want to see more – and so should you.

We want to see the halo.

The readings you chose speak to this as well. In the first reading – from the seldom-heard Book of Tobit – Tobiah and his new wife Sarah begin their married life right: in prayer. Now, never mind the fact that Sarah has had seven new husbands before this and all of them died on the wedding night (there’s a reason to get down and pray!). They recognize – together – that God is the source of their blessings, and God is the one to sustain them in their new life together.

I have had the privilege of watching the two of you pray together. This is what, I think, is so good about this moment: it seem natural to all of us. Keep this up, as prayer has been at the heart of who you are individually, so now it must be part of you as a couple – that “one flesh” that Jesus talks about in the Gospel.

When you look at each other today – and every day for the rest of your lives – you must see this love that reminds you that “the Lord is near.” More than that, though, you have a task now in this sacrament. Everywhere you look now; everywhere you go; you’re surrounded by each other’s embrace. You carry the other with you because you are that “one flesh.”

Your task is to help each other to grow – to grow as the people God made you to be. This is your vocation; you are made for each other – you’re everything the other needs and more. The task ahead of you is to help one another grow in holiness. So look at each other now. Can you see it now?

Can you see the halo?

Pray – pray it won’t fade away.