At a rehearsal dinner, the dad of the groom shared the story that his son found his daughter-in-law in cyberspace. The couple had listed their bios on “Match.com.” The groom noted that his bride-to-be enjoyed tennis, travel and cooking. Something inside of him made him want to “wink” cyberspace lingo for “replied to the email.” While cyberspace became the hook, I believe it was the prompting of the Holy Spirit that brought this couple together to the altar. The groom‘s mom told the story that after she met the bride she whispered to her son ”this is the one.”I asked this couple to make a “bucket list” of things they wanted to do throughout their married life. At the rehearsal dinner, they added to their list the desire to travel to all 50 states. Their honeymoon in Hawaii would get them off to a grand start on their quest.
At the wedding service, this couple chose the Sermon on the Mount, the teaching of the Beatitudes that would mirror God’s love in their home. What a wonderful sermon and task they had chosen-to live in harmony, to weep with the mournful, to laugh with the joyful, to not be conceited. They had accepted the call to be humble.
Before the wedding, I had a blood test scheduled at the lab. I arrived early, but there were ten senior citizens ahead of me. So I read my Cook’s Illustrated magazine picking out a recipe for the weekend, However, my quick visit turned into an emergency. It seemed one of the seniors fainted in the middle of their blood test. I knew something was wrong when I overheard the receptionist say: “passed out.” A half hour later a patient was being hauled out the door of the lab on a gurney. People were impatient and complaining because they were in a hurry. Probably, other weddings to go to.
When it was my turn, the nurse verified that “two patients” had fainted that morning. I simply told her that it was not her fault and that she was doing a great job. Never felt that needle prick, but she looked up at me with tears in her eyes and said, “Can I have a hug?” We need to practice to be “walking sermons.”
That’s the way of married life, the Beatitudes say that when things don’t go as planned, when there are delays or cancellation, mistakes or a spouse acts like a jerk, that’s the moment you can choose to “be like Christ.” This means to forgive and move on in such a way that your partner knows in their gut and heart that they made the right choice. Live humbly, pray for one another, be fair and honest all the time, let go of past grudges and resentments. God wants us to be joyful but only do if we are in need: hungry, searching, willing to change, willing to risk.
God prays for us as we reflect: “Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.” (Psalm 31:5).
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who live in harmony with their spouses. May their journey become a quiet, peaceful walk as they strive with your strength to live in the spirit of the “be-atitudes.” Let me add a special prayer for those friends separated that “in the meantime” of their life they find good friends who are willing to shed tears and walk with them as they search for healing and strength.
