It’s a wedding and the
ushers are standing around in a strange church, feeling awkward, and kidding
one another. The father of the groom decides to inform them that it’s their job
to escort guests into the pews. Groom’s family on the right, bride’s family on
the left. Then out of nowhere a stranger dumps four boutonnieres on a table in
the vestibule. The guys are clueless, so like it’s Mother’s Day for me as I
take each flower and instruct the guys to hold still. I am now the onsite florist
making the men look handsome for the money shot since their photographer expects
them to be wearing a flower for “the wedding” portfolio.
I notice another
boutonniere left the table and bet that this must belong on the groom. So, I race back to the sacristy and tell Chris
to shut up and stand still. Of course, he’s nervous and babbling about
something, but I got his boutonniere to pin on him and tell him that he looks
great!
It’s about two minutes
before the wedding, and hiding in the sacristy are dad, our deacon, his son,
the groom and me. I’m listening to our Eastman School of Music graduate
students playing Ave Marie on their cello and violin. The next moment, I hear
Chris crying and asking for a tissue and he says, that he misses his
grandmothers and wishes that they were was here for his wedding. Then dad
starts to shed a tear and I have these two men quietly sobbing seconds before
we are to walk into the sanctuary.
So, I let them shed their tears.
For obviously, it about love for a special grandmother and a mom whom they miss
and I say a simple pray to God that these grandmothers watch over this wedding
and make it perfect.
Well, grandma did a great
job for the wedding ceremony was perfect. Dad preached a great homily, the
groom’s mom looked proud of her son, and his sisters were beaming in their
wedding party gowns. The bride was gorgeous and I did not embarrass any of her
family members or friends who are Baptist leading them through the service. I
praised their support as they gave their blessing for their daughter to marry
our Catholic groom.
Much different scenario, when
at the reception my parishioner married over fifty years ago remembered that he
was married at the communion rail because he was Protestant marrying a Catholic
girl.
Jesus message in the gospel
is different from what he experienced for the Lord encourages us to review our
guest list and, in a display of proper etiquette, be sure that everyone has a
seat. When we live in a spirit of humility, we focus less on ourselves and much
more on how to ensure that we make space for everyone. We extend an invitation
to others, expecting nothing in return.
Lord, I pray for all my
Sonshine Friends that we give up our seat and invite all to dine with us that
includes: immigrants, refugees, migrants, women, girls, victims of human
trafficking, mentally Ill, physically challenged, children, youth, people of differ
sexual orientation, religions, ethnicity, country of origin, people of low
socio-economic status, the unemployed, and incarcerated people and their
families.
