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Complete
Ceremonies: (these can be edited to meet your needs.)
Simi-religious with Unity candle
Simi-religious with Sand & Rose
****Please
note that the following section prints out as over 100 pages****
Ceremony
Ideas:
Sample Readings, Poems and Prayers
Beloved Creator, Essence of Love, and Source of Hope, Open our hearts
and fill us with Your Presence. You
graciously give to us the longing for love and the capability of loving, and we
give you thanks for Xx and Yy, for their beautiful hearts and willing spirits,
and for the example of love that they embody here today. Elevate us to an
awareness of the Sacred and the Eternal, as we celebrate this miraculous moment
in their lives. Be with them on this joyous occasion of showing their love and
making their vows; and be with us, their witnesses, that we might all be
inspired by the blessings shared today. Amen
(Option
1)
Good evening. It is truly a blessing from
heaven for two people to find one another and to love so deeply that they embrace
the holy bond of marriage. That is why
we are all here today, to witness and celebrate Xx and Yy’s commitment to their
union. On behalf of them, I welcome you
all.
(Option
2)
Good afternoon. We gather here today to
witness and celebrate an act of deep love. Xx and Yy, in their devotion,
respect, and love for each other wish to unite in the holy bond of marriage,
and to dedicate themselves to each other's happiness and well‑being as
life mates and partners. On behalf of
them, I welcome you all.
(Option
1)
Marriage is a gift
from God, a miracle. After speaking to
you both, it is obvious that you already know some of the great blessings
marriage has to offer. It is an opportunity
to feel the joy of taking care of someone who takes care of you, to be
challenged towards growth yet gently nurtured, to love deeply and receive it in
return. It is about trust, friendship
and having a partner to share all life has to offer. It is a commitment to
participate in a process of mutual evolution, understanding and forgiveness. It
is indeed a sacred union to be treated with reverence.
Marriage is not a
place to hide from the world. It is a
safe place to grow and become wiser. It
is a place to evolve into better people; so that you can go out in the world
and make a difference by spreading the joy and wisdom that you have found with
each other. Together in this marriage, you shall contribute more fully, for you
both shall be more full.
Xx, Yy is a gift to
you from God, but he is not a gift for you alone. It is God’s will that in your love, this man
might find within himself a greater sense of who he is meant to be. You are asked to see the good in this man, to
accept him for who he is and who he shall be.
In this way, God’s purpose shall be accomplished in this
relationship. May this man find the
kingdom of heaven through the love you share.
And so it is with you also Yy, that although
Xx is God’s gift to you, she is not a gift intended for you alone. You are
asked by God to so love this woman, that in your love she might find herself as
God has created her, so beautiful and strong and brave and true, that the
entire world might be blessed by the presence of a woman who shines so. May she
relax in your arms as she has never relaxed before. May she know, from now on, that there is one
on whose love she can depend on forever.
May you both create,
with God, a piece of heaven on earth.
(Option
2)
Marriage
is the beginning of a new life, a chance at fulfilling long‑held dreams,
and an opportunity for great personal and spiritual growth. Marriage endures
through the ages of trends and fads. Marriage thrives, and continues to live as
a promise of a beautiful dream come true. As long as individuals are drawn
together by God, marriage will be a natural unfolding of that relationship.
Feelings come alive at a wedding. Great
happiness. Some sadness. Apprehension. And sometimes pure relief!. There is an
acute awareness that something special, something that goes to the very heart
of life, is about to happen. Something is gone forever, and something is born,
brand‑new and tender. Something to be nurtured and cared for, protected
and cherished, challenged and strengthened‑‑your never‑before‑created
marriage.
Each of you brings gifts to the other today.
Gifts of hope and laughter, focus and seriousness of purpose. Sensitivity and
recognition of the beautiful and the profound. Since childhood, you have
searched for and dreamed about that special someone who would embody and
express the gifts you now stand ready to give and to receive. But these gifts
are not to be yours alone. A strong and resilient marriage is not an escape
from the world but a contribution to it. Xx and Yy, may you now combine and
strengthen your gifts, to be offered as a distinct and beautiful gift to the
world. For the world is in need of the beautiful, the good and the holy and
nothing is better suited to evoke that than a good marriage.
And
now you stand before this loving community of family and friends, ready to
acknowledge to God and to the world: this is my beloved, the one with whom I
choose to create the rest of my life.
(Option
3)
Marriage
is a supreme sharing, perhaps the greatest and most challenging adventure in
the most intimate of human relationships. It is the joyful uniting of a man and
a woman whose care and affection and understanding have flowered into a deep
and abiding love. Those who take its sacred vows have their lives blended together
into one, as the waters of two rivers are joined when they come together to
form an even greater one.
A true spiritual marriage is an act of
metamorphosis, a profound mystery of creation and rebirth, as two become one.
It is not a giving up or loss of oneself, but rather a giving over of oneself
to something greater‑a transformation of self in which each one can say,
"I am no longer only I but also we." It is a process in which each
can be challenged to discover new possibilities in themselves and each other.
In
such a marriage, the wedding ceremony is the gateway into this mystery. For the
lives the two of you have lived up until this moment are, in some sense, now
truly completed and over. Together you now live within the creation of
something wholly new and transcendent, something which has never existed before‑your
miraculous marriage‑an expression that is at once public and private,
precious, sacred, and truly unique to the two of you. In this act, you open
yourselves to a fuller experience and expression of the great, vast miracle of
love.
No
ceremony can create your marriage. Only you can do that‑through love,
patience, dedication, perseverance‑through talking and listening and
trying to understand‑through helping and supporting and believing in each
other‑through learning to forgive, learning to respect and
appreciate your differences, and learning to make the important things matter and to let go of the rest. What this ceremony can do is to witness and affirm the choice you have made to begin a new life today as husband and wife.
Xx and Yy want to acknowledge their parents on this occasion, ________________. Xx and Yy offer their profound gratitude to their parents for all the love and care they showed in raising them, appreciating what an admirable example their parents have set for them. This bride and groom take inspiration from their families. May Xx and Yy also have a long and rich life together in their marriage.
We now close our eyes and bring to mind any
loved ones who could not be here today. Though they are absent physically, we
invoke, through our thought and prayers, their loving presence. We pray that
God might multiply beyond measure the blessings from these loved ones to this
loving couple, and any children who might one day be a part of this union. Now,
from our hearts, we ourselves visualize and sanctify all the blessings we would
bestow on Xx and Yy in their lives as a couple and a family. And in our sincere
desire to bless, we in turn, are blessed also. Blessed Be.
(Note: This ceremony can be done with 4 candles, as its written here,
or can be modified to use the Unity Candle, which has 3 candle. Kindly bring
candles and candleholders)
Within each human
being burns the spark of the Divine.
When two people love one another with devotion and freedom, they kindle
the awareness of that spark in each other as nothing else quite can do. The
lighted candle is symbolic of the cosmic creation and the light and truth in
the human heart, mind and soul. Fire
also symbolizes both purity and passion.
For many, the flame means the security of home and family, the warmth of
the hearth.
Take into your beings the warmth, radiance
and light that the divine flame represents.
Let it light your way on the journey of life that you are about to
embark on.
In committing to one
another today, in the spirit of being born new to one another, you kindle each
other’s divine light and promise always to see that light in one another-to
nurture and tend that divine flame in your partner as best you can each day-especially
at the times it may be hardest to see, and the times your partner may doubt or
forget the existence of that light within him-or herself.
.
Xx, take this candle
now and symbolically enter the sacred trust to honor the divine spark in Yy by
lighting it from this candle representing the Divine Source. (She lights
candle)
Yy, take this candle
now and symbolically enter the sacred trust to honor the divine spark in Xx by
lighting it from this candle representing the Divine Source. (He lights
candle)
If at this time you
wish to affirm your free choice to unite as partners in marriage, please light
the unlit candle together now. (They light unlit candle together) As you
bring your individual flames together to symbolically form the new and greater
flame of your marriage, never forget that the light of your union is made up of
your unique, individual expressions of light and is continually sustained and
renewed by your connection to the Divine Spark, the eternal light of God.
The candle you lit
together symbolizes your marriage, your willingness to surrender to something
greater than yourselves. May the light of your marriage, Xx and Yy, be a beacon
in the night, a safe harbor from the storms of life. May your future be made
infinitely brighter by the light and the love that you share.
Xx and Yy, Please face each other and take each other’s hands, so that you may see the gift that they are to you.
These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of
love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love
each other today, tomorrow and forever.
These are the hands that will work
along side yours as together you build your future.
These are the hands that will
passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest
touch will comfort you like no other.
These are the hands that will hold
you when fear or grief temporarily comes your way.
These are the hands that will
countless times wipe the tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of
joy.
These are the hands that will
tenderly hold your children.
These are the hands that will give you support and encouragement to chase down your dreams.
These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.
These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.
These are the hands that will lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into eyes that are filled with overwhelming love for you.
And lastly, these are the hands that
even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you
the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.
(Optional Question-Who gives this woman to be the bride of this man?
(The father/parents stand up, respond
"I/We do" and then are seated))
Xx and Yy, If you are ready to step into the
holy circle of matrimony, assuming all its rights, obligations and abundant
joys, please so indicate by joining hands.
Do you, Xx take this man, Yy as your husband,
to love him and to honor him, to nurture, serve and support him, in times of
joy and in times of difficulty? Do you promise to remain by his side regardless
of what trouble befalls you, and in the presence of temptation to forsake this
love, do you promise to remain steadfast and true? Do you promise with all your
heart and soul to honor this vow till death do you part? If so, answer now,
"I do."(Bride answers, "I do")
Do you, Yy take this woman, Xx as your wife,
to love her and to honor her, to nurture, serve and support her, in times of
joy and in times of difficulty? Do your promise to remain by her side
regardless of what trouble befalls you, and in the presence of temptation to
forsake this love, do you promise to remain steadfast and true? Do you promise
with all your heart and soul to honor this vow till death do you part? If so
answer now, "I do."(Groom answers, "I do")
And so we come Xx and Yy, to the presentation
of rings by which you symbolize and bind your love.
The circle has long been a symbol of spirit
and the power of God. The sky and the earth are round. The wind in its greatest
power whirls. The sun and moon, both round, come forth and go down again in a
circle. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing
and always come back again to where they were.
Without beginning or end
and with no point of weakness, the circle is a reminder of the eternal quality
of God and of unending strength. Let the seamless circle of these rings become
the symbol of your endless love and unending faithfulness. Your wedding rings are most special because
they say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bonded, to allow
the presence of another human being to enhance who you are. Your rings carry a potent double message: We
are individuals and yet we belong; we are not alone. As you wear them through time, they will
reflect not only who you are but also the union you are making, the fact that
throughout the rest of your lives each of you will be imprinted by the other,
yet as yourself remain.
God, bless these rings and the two who
exchange them. Fill them with your Holy
Presence. Keep them safe in the
circle of Your protection and love.
Xx, place the ring on Yy’s finger and repeat
after me: “With this ring, I pledge my
love and faithfulness to you, today, tomorrow and always." or ("I am my
beloved's and my beloved is mine.")
or (“As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for
you.”)
Yy, place the ring on Xx's finger and repeat
after me: “With this ring, I pledge my love and faithfulness to you, today,
tomorrow and always." or ("I am my beloved's and my beloved is
mine.") or (“As
this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you.”)
Wear these rings as the enclosing bond of reverence and trust. Fulfill
the circle of love that now makes you one.
Do you have your rings? (They respond,
“Yes”)
The circle has long
been a symbol of God. Without beginning or end and with no point of weakness,
the circle is a reminder of the eternal quality of God and of unending
strength. Let the seamless circle of these rings become the symbol of your
endless love. Your wedding rings are most special because they say that even in
your uniqueness you have chosen to be bonded, to allow the presence of another
human being to enhance who you are. Your
rings carry a potent double message: We are individuals and yet we belong; we
are not alone. As you wear them through
time, they will reflect not only who you are but also the union you are making,
the fact that throughout the rest of your lives each of you will be imprinted
by the other, yet as yourself remain.
God, bless these rings
and the two who exchange them. Fill them with your Holy
Presence. Keep them safe in the
circle of Your protection and love.
Yy, as you place this
ring on Xx, I now ask you: Do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded
wife? Do you promise God, Xx and all of
us here that from this point forward, your arms may be her shelter and your
heart may be her guide? Do you promise to support her and nourish her and to
love and respect and honor her for the rest of your days on earth? If so please answer “I do.”
Xx, as you place this
ring on Yy, I now ask you: Do you take this man to be your lawful wedded
husband? Do you promise God, Yy and all
of us here that from this point forward, your arms may be his shelter and your
heart may be his guide? Do you promise to support him and nourish him and to
love and respect and honor him for the rest of your days on earth? If so please answer “I do.”
(Couple can say their own prepared vows or choose from samples below. Vows may be
a) read entirely by minister;
b) read phrase by phrase by
minister and repeated by wedding partners;
c) read entirely by wedding
partners.)
Option
1 –Couple writes their own vows
Xx and Yy, having thus committed themselves,
now wish to declare their love for one another in words that they have written.
Option
2
Please join hands, look into each other's
eyes, and repeat after me:
From this day forward,
I make a promise:
what ever happens,
you shall not walk alone.
I'll stand by your side,
and sleep in your arms,
I'll be the joy in your heart,
and the food for your soul,
May you feel deeply loved
for indeed you are.
Through our brightest days
and our darkest nights,
I take you,
into my heart.
May God bless us,
with a great light,
around our hearts,
and around our home.
I see your beauty,
your innocence and light.
May it shine.
May the world see how beautiful you are
as I see how beautiful you are,
but may there be a special light
that only I can see.
I give you my heart.
May we feel this joy forever.
Thank you God.
Amen
Option
3
From this day on
I choose you to be my beloved soul mate,
to live with you and laugh with you;
to stand by your side and sleep in your arms;
to be joy to your heart and food to your soul;
to bring out the best in you always;
to be the best I can be, just for you;
to celebrate with you in the good times;
to struggle with you in the bad;
to solace you when you are down‑hearted;
to wipe your tears with my hands;
to comfort you with my body;
to care for you with my soul;
to share with you everything that I have;
as we treat each other with tenderness, compassion and love.
Option
4-Traditional Vows
Please join hands, look into each other’s
eyes, and repeat after me:
I, Yy, take thee, Xx, for my lawful wedded
wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer,
for poorer, in sickness and in health as long as we both shall live.
I, Xx, take thee, Yy, for my lawful wedded
husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for
richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health as long as we both shall live.
Xx and Yy, you now have the
opportunity for expressing through your union and partnership, God’s glory, love
and healing. How could this be? Through devotion and service to each other.
Through patience, kindness, total acceptance of each other, tempered by the
willingness to change. You will be tempted, as time goes by, to take for
granted the love which today seems so precious and dear. To speak to and treat
each other in ways that do not reflect the highest good in both of you. Resist
it. Promise to always see the goodness
in your partner, even when it’s especially difficult. God will provide you the
way, if you are willing. He is the key to your success as a married couple.
Call on Him devotedly and consistently to guide your thinking and bless your
home. May this marriage be to you a heavenly sanctuary. God bless you.
There is a saying in Eastern tradition that
when you have love, even plain water is sweet. The clear water that you share
today reflects the beauty and simplicity that is available to you both in
remembering and devoting yourselves to the principal of love in your marriage.
May it grow sweeter with each passing year. You may now drink from this
fountain of love. (Couple gives each other a drink from the same glass)
In this glass are the
fruits of God, Mankind and Mother Earth. The years of our lives are like a cup
of wine that is poured out for the sake of labor, honor and love. Many days you
will sit at the same table and eat and drink together. Many are the experiences
you will share. As with a glass of wine, one of you may find it sweet, the
other perhaps dry or somehow different. Let the drink you share today serve as
a reminder that although you may perceive things very differently, being right
is never more important than being happy. With this space that you give each
other, always putting your commitment to love and honor one another first, your
lives together will grow deeper, richer and greatly satisfying, like a rare and
fine wine. You may now drink from this fountain of love. (Couple gives each
other a drink from the same glass)
(Minister gives bride and groom a rose) Your gift to each other for your wedding
today has been your wedding rings - which shall always be an outward
demonstration of your vows of love and respect; and a public showing of your
commitment to each other. You now have what remains the most honorable title
which may exist between a man and a woman - the title of "husband"
and "wife." For your first gift as husband and wife, that gift will
be a single rose.
In the past, the rose was considered a symbol
of love and a single rose always meant only one thing - it meant the words
"I love you." So it is appropriate that for your first gift - as
husband and wife - that gift would be a single rose. Please exchange your first
gift as husband and wife. (couple exchanges roses)
In some ways it seems like you have not done
anything at all. Just a moment ago you were holding one small rose - and now
you are holding one small rose. In some ways, a marriage ceremony is like this.
In some ways, tomorrow is going to seem no different than yesterday. But in
fact today, just now, you both have given and received one of the most valuable
and precious gifts of life - one I hope you always remember - the gift of true
and abiding love within the devotion of marriage.
Xx and Yy, I would ask that where ever you
make your home in the future - whether it be a large and elegant home - or a
small and graceful one - that you both pick one very special location for
roses; so that on each anniversary of this truly wonderful occasion you both
may take a rose to that spot both as a recommitment to your marriage - and a
recommitment that THIS will be a marriage based upon love.
In every marriage there are times where it is
difficult to find the right words. It is easiest to hurt who we most love. It
is easiest to be most hurt by who we most love. It might be difficult some time
to words to say "I am sorry" or "I forgive you"; "I
need you" or "I am hurting". If this should happen, if you
simply can not find these words, leave a rose at that spot which both of you
have selected - for that rose than says what matters most of all and should
overpower all other things and all other words.
That rose says the words: "I still love you." The other should accept this rose for the words which cannot be found, and remember the love and hope that you both share today.
Xx and Yy, if there is anything you remember of this marriage ceremony, it is that it was love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make it a glorious union, and it is by love which your marriage shall endure.
(Option 1)
Xx and Yy, in the
presence of God, your family and friends today, you have spoken the words and
performed the rites which unite your lives.
It is my legal right as a minister and my greatest joy and privilege to
declare you husband and wife. As kisses are messengers of love, kiss now and
let soul meet soul on each other’s lips (or "You may now kiss the
bride.").
(Option
2)
Forasmuch as you, Xx and you, Yy, have openly
declared your wishes to be united in marriage, and in the presence of these
witnesses have pledged love to each other, and have confirmed the same by
joining hands, exchanging rings and declaring your vows, I as a minister and
legally authorized to do so by the state of
Tennessee pronounce that you are now husband and wife. As kisses are
messengers of love, kiss now and let soul meet soul on each other's lips. (or
"You may now kiss the bride.").
(Option
1)
May God’s blessings rest upon you, may God’s
peace abide with you, and may God’s presence illuminate your hearts, now and
forevermore. Amen.
(Option
2)
May the Peace that passes all understanding
be yours now and forevermore.
(Option
3)
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
(Option
4)
The two of you are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, may you always return to one another in your togetherness. May you two find in each other the love for which all men and women long. May you grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home that you establish be such a place of sanctuary that all who visit will find there a friend. And may the Lord bless you and keep you forevermore. Amen.
(option 5) The Irish Wedding
Blessing
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon the fields.
May the light of friendship guide your paths together.
May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.
May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle
from your eye.
And when eternity beckons,
at the end of a life heaped high with love,
May the good Lord embrace you
with the arms that have nurtured you
the whole length of your joy-filled days.
And now, ladies and gentlemen,
it is my pleasure to present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs.
________________.
Marriage Joins Two People In The Circle Of Its Love
The key to love
is understanding...
The ability to comprehend not only the spoken word,
but those unspoken gestures,
the little things that say so much by themselves.
The key to love
is forgiveness...
to accept each others faults and pardon mistakes,
without forgetting, but with remembering
what you learn from them.
The key to love
is sharing...
Facing your good fortunes as well as the bad, together;
both conquering problems, forever searching for ways
to intensify your happiness.
The key to love
is giving...
without thought of return,
but with the hope of just a simple smile,
and by giving in but never giving up.
The key to love
is respect...
realising that you are two separate people, with different ideas; that you
don't belong to each other,
that you belong with each other, and share a mutual bond.
The key to love
is inside us all...
It takes time and patience to unlock all the ingredients that will take you to
its threshold;
it is the continual learning process that demands a lot of work... but the
rewards are more than worth the effort...
and that is the key to love.
If I speak in the tongues of men
and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or
a clanging cymbal.
And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all
knowledge, and if
I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am
nothing.
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but
have not love, I gain
nothing.
Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful;
it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is
not irritable or
resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things.
Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for
tongues, they will
cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect;
but when the perfect comes, the
imperfect will pass away.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I
reasoned like a child;
when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in
part; then I
shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.
So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is
love.
Blessed are the
man and the woman who have grown beyond themselves and have seen through their
separations. They delight in the way things are and keep their hearts open, day
and night. They are like trees planted near flowing rivers, which bear fruit
when they are ready. Their leaves will not fall or wither. Everything they do
will succeed.
I love you, not
for what you are, but what I am, when I am with you.
I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but what you are making
of me.
I love you for the part of me that you bring out.
I love you for
putting your hand into my heaped up heart and passing over all the frivolous
and weak things that you cannot help seeing there, and for drawing out into the
light all the beautiful and radiant things that no one else has looked quite
far enough to find...
I love you
because you have done more than any creed could have done to make me good, and
more than any fate could have done to make me happy.
You have done it
without a touch, without a word, without a sign.
You have done it by being yourself.
Perhaps that is what being a friend means after all.
Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be the shelter for each other.
Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be the warmth for the other.
Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before. Go now to your
dwelling place to enter into the days of your life together. And may your days
be good and long upon the earth.
Treat yourselves and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of
what brought you together. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness
and kindness that your connection deserves. When frustration, difficulty and
fear assail your relationship - as they threaten all relationships at one time
or another - remember to focus on what is right between you, not only the part
which seems wrong. In this way, you can ride out the storms when clouds hide
the face of the sun in your lives - remembering that even if you lose sight of
it for a moment, the sun is still there. And if each of you takes
responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by
abundance and delight.
Love
Love is the strongest feeling known
an all -encompassing passion
an extreme strength
an overwhelming excitement
Love is trying
not to hurt the other person
trying not to change the other person
trying not to dominate the other person
trying not to deceive the other person
Love is
understanding each other
listening to each other
supporting each other
having fun with each other.
Love is not an
excuse to stop growing
not an excuse to stop making yourself better
not an excuse to lessen one's goals
not an excuse to take the other person for granted
Love is being
completely honest with each other
finding dreams to share
working towards common goals
sharing responsibilities equally
Everyone in the
world wants to love
Love is not a feeling to be taken lightly
Love is a feeling to be cherished, nurtured and cared for
Love is the reason for life
From this day
forward, let us laugh together, and plan together,
let us find our favorite places, and go together...
Let us enjoy the sunshine, and the rain,
being alone together, and in crowds together...
From this day forward, together,
Let us love!
Let Us Walk Together
Let us walk together yet not as one, but such that our shadows are separate and
distinct, such that our souls are unbound and free.
Let us share our time, yet do not give all your time, nor take all of mine for
in order to develop to the fullest, to be free, we must have solitude and
individuality.
Let me wander in
solitude, when I need to be alone, yet be near, when I need you.
Let us share our love.
Give freely of your love, but do not smother me, my soul must breathe a free
air.
Take my love, but do not demand it, for love given of obligation, is stale and
without life.
Let us share our lives.
Share my life,
but do not try to shape it.
Let me share your life, but do not let it revolve around me.
Let us share ourselves.
Accept me as I am, do not attempt to change me to fit your dreams.
Respect me for what I am, not for what I was or one day may be.
Share yourself with me, but do not allow me to limit your freedom or bind your
soul.
Let us share our minds, thoughts, goals, values and dreams.
Let us develop these within ourselves without restriction or loss of freedom
Thus our two
free souls, may wander together as they develop in freedom.
As we share our lives, as we walk through life together, know my love is yours,
but not my soul for it must be free.
For one human
being to love another human being: that is perhaps the most difficult task that
has been entrusted to us, the ultimate task, the final test and proof, the work
for which all other work is merely preparation. Loving does not at first mean
merging, surrendering, and uniting with another person - it is a high
inducement for the individual to ripen, to become something in himself, to
become world, to become world in himself for the sake of another person; it is
a great, demanding claim on him, something that chose him and calls him to vast
distances.
A wedding is between two reflections of God. Two pairs of eyes see one vision. They are dedicated to serve one another and
the humanity at large. Two minds come
together to help each other realize their true nature. Going side by side with the right partner is
a good way to reach God quickly. When the husband's and the wife's love for
each other blends together and becomes love of God, marriage is a divine
institution.
And what of Marriage, master?
And he answered saying:
You were born
together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when
the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be
together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be
spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of
the heavens dance between you.
Love one another, but
make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a
moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup
but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of
your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and Dance together and be joyous,
but each one of you be alone.
Even as the strings of
a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but
not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of
Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet
not too near together:
For the pillars of the
temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow
not in each other's
shadow
When you were children, you talked like children, But now that you've grown, you should be done with childish things and put them away. When you were children, you looked into a mirror that gave only a blurred reflection of reality. But with love and maturity, you shouldn't be afraid to look into that mirror and see each other face to face. Be swift like the wind in loving each other. Be brave like the sea in loving each other. Be gentle like the breeze in loving each other. Be patient like the sun who waits and watches the four changes of the earth in loving each other. Be wise like the roaring of the thunder clouds and lightning in loving each other. Be shining like the morning dawn in loving each other. Be proud like the tree who stands without bending in loving each other. Be brilliant like the rainbow colors in loving each other. Now, forever, forever, there will be no more loneliness because your worlds are joined together with the world. Forever, forever.
“When
you love someone you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way,
from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. The
only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity, in
freedom, in the sense that dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but
partners in the same pattern.
The only real security is not in owning or
possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping even. Security in a
relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia, nor forward
to what might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present
relationship and accepting it as it is now. One must accept the security of the winged
life, of ebb and flow, of intermittency.”
May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should
bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding.
May you always need one another - not so much to fill your emptiness as
to help you to know your fullness. A mountain needs a valley to be complete;
the valley does not make the mountain less, but more; and the valley is more a
valley because it has a mountain towering over it. So let it be with you and
you.
May you need one
another, but not out of weakness.
May you want one another, but not out of lack.
May you entice one another, but not compel one another.
May you embrace one another, but not out encircle one another.
May you succeed in all important ways with one another, and not fail in the
little graces.
May you look for things to praise, often say, "I love you!" and take
no notice of small faults.
If you have quarrels
that push you apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take the
first step back.
May you enter into
the mystery, which is the awareness of one another's presence - no more
physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side-by-side, and warm and
near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities.
May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy.
May you have love, and may you find it loving one another.
A soul mate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit
our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step
out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who
we are and not for who we're pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of
the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we're
safe in our own paradise. Our soul mate is someone who shares our deepest
longings, our sense of direction. When we're two balloons, and together our
direction is up, chances are we've found the right person. Our soul mate is the
one who makes life come to life.
Love is a mighty power,
a great and complete good.
Love alone lightens every burden, and makes rough places smooth.
It bears every hardship as though it were nothing, and renders
all bitterness sweet and acceptable.
Nothing is sweeter than love,
Nothing stronger,
Nothing higher,
Nothing wider,
Nothing more pleasant,
Nothing fuller or better in heaven or earth; for love is born of God.
Love flies, runs and leaps for joy.
It is free and unrestrained.
Love knows no limits, but ardently transcends all bounds.
Love feels no burden, takes no account of toil,
attempts things beyond its strength.
Love sees nothing as impossible,
for it feels able to achieve all things.
It is strange and effective,
while those who lack love faint and fail.
Love is not fickle and sentimental,
nor is it intent on vanities.
Like a living flame and a burning torch,
it surges upward and surely surmounts every obstacle.
Sooner or later we
begin to understand that love is more than verses on valentines and romance in
the movies. We begin to know that love is here and now, real and true, the most
important thing in our lives. For love is the creator of our favorite memories
and the foundation of our fondest dreams. Love is a promise that is always
kept, a fortune that can never be spent, a seed that can flourish in even the
most unlikely of places. And this radiance that never fades, this mysterious
and magical joy, is the greatest treasure of all - one known only by those who
love.
True love is a sacred
flame
That burns eternally,
And none can dim its special glow
Or change its destiny.
True love speaks in tender tones
And hears with gentle ear,
True love gives with open heart
And true love conquers fear.
True love makes no harsh demands
It neither rules nor binds,
And true love holds with gentle hands
The hearts that it entwines.
The little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should not
end with the honeymoon,
it should continue through all the years.
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or
sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy.
It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful
ways.
It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have wings of an
angel.
It is not looking for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of
humor.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is finding room for the things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal,
dependence is mutual and
the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.
(Option
1)
Let
us Pray: Dear God, thank you for this joyous day. Thank you for Your Light that has entered Xx
and Yy’s life. Thank you for all the
miracles and blessings. Please bless
this union. Help Xx and Yy find the
perfect place in this world for their love to flourish. Let the radiant light
of their love shine on all those around them.
May all their future creations be blessed. God, bless them with the inner gifts of
trust, compassion, forgiveness and truth that they may live and grow together
in love and peace. Amen.
(Option
2)
Father of mankind, whose nature is love, look
with favor upon this woman and this man who desire to make their vows before
you. We are grateful for the providence that has led to this union. Grant this
to be more than an outward union, but also the blending of hearts and spirits
and purposes. Bless each with the inward qualities of integrity, trust,
cooperation and forgiveness, that they may live together in love and peace.
Amen.
(Option 3)
‑adapted
from Illuminata by Marianne Williamson
Dear God, Please make of this relationship a
great and holy adventure. May their joining be a sacred space. May the two of
them find rest here, a haven for their souls. Remove from them any temptation
to judge themselves or each other or to direct each other. May they surrender
to You their conflicts and their burdens. We know You are their Answer and
their rock. Help them not forget. Bring them together in heart and mind as well
as body and guide them in the ways of
holiness. May this relationship be a burst of light. May it be a fount of love
and wisdom for them, for their family, for their community, and for their
world. May this bond be a channel for Your love and healing, a vehicle of Your
grace and power. As lessons come and challenges grow, let them not be tempted
to forsake each other. Let them always remember that in each other they have
the most beautiful woman, the most beautiful man, the strongest one, the sacred
one in whose arms we are repaired. May they remain young in this relationship.
May they grow wise in this relationship. Bring them what You desire for them.
And show them how you would have them be. Thank You, dear God.
(Option
4)The Lords’ Prayer
Our Father who art in
Heaven, hallow be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it
is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. (For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory, for ever.) Amen
(option 5)
Gracious God, spirit of life and love, we ask all
blessings upon Yy and Xx in their life together. May they be blessed with patience,
to see them through times of tensions or conflict. May they be blessed with
kindness, to enable them to nurture and care for one another in times of pain
or sorrow. May them be blessed with a spirit of play and joyfulness, that they
may participate fully in the beauties and pleasures of creation. May they be
blessed, finally, with a knowledge of the ever-flowing presence of love in the
world, that they may be channels of this love to one another and to all whom
they meet in their life’s journey. Amen.
(option 6)
Honoring The Directions (used in earth honoring traditions)
In many ancient religious traditions, it is customary to bring a service of worship or celebration by calling on the four directions. This is a way of symbolically inviting all of creation to be present and take part in the festivities. This morning, we, too, want to invite the whole of creation to be with us here and now.
Oh Great Spirit of the North, we come to you and ask for the strength and the power to bear what is cold and harsh in life. We come like the buffalo ready to receive the winds that truly can be overwhelming at times. Whatever is cold and uncertain in our life, we ask you to give us the strength to bear it. Do not let the winter blow us away. Oh Spirit of Life and Spirit of the North, we ask you for strength and for warmth.
Oh Great Spirit of the East, we turn to you where the sun comes up, from where the power of light and refreshment come. Everything that is born comes up in this direction the birth of babies, the birth of the puppies, the birth of ideas and the birth of friendship. Let there be the light. Oh Spirit of the East, let the color of fresh rising in our life be glory to you.
Oh Great Spirit of the South, spirit of all that is warm and gentle and refreshing, we ask you to give us this spirit of growth, of fertility, of gentleness. Caress us with a cool breeze when the days are hot. Give us seeds that the flowers, trees and fruits of the earth may grow. Give us the warmth of good friendships. Oh Spirit of the South, send the warmth and the growth of your blessings.
Oh Great Spirit of the West, where the sun goes down each day to come up the next, we turn to you in praise of sunsets and in thanksgiving for changes. You are the great colored sunset of the red west, which illuminates us. You are the powerful cycle, which pulls us to transformation. We ask for the blessings of the sunset. Keep us open to life's changes.
Introduction
Friends, we come here today
to celebrate love.
We see it in the Faces of Xx and Yy who stand before us, but we experience it in our own hearts as
well.
This love is powerful enough
to untie the strong entangled knot of life. It is a love which is spoken of in
all religions, which kindles our souls.
Xx and Yy have opened their hearts to one
another, and today in just a few moments will share their vows of marriage
together. We are deeply grateful to them as well, inviting us to witness and
share in this precious moment.
We ask that the vision you
have for one another always be informed by the radiant power that first brought
you together.
Declaration of Commitment
Xx
and Yy do you come here today of your own freewill to enter into the
bonds of Holy Matrimony, Before God family and friends? If so answer “we do”
Prayer
Let us pray; God, Please make of this relationship a great and holy union. May the joining of this couple be sacred. May the two of them find rest here, a haven for their souls. May they surrender to You their conflicts and their burdens. Bring them together in heart, mind and body and guide them in the ways of holiness. May this relationship be a burst of light, A fount of love and wisdom for them, for their family, for their community. May this bond be a channel for Your love and healing.
As lessons come and challenges grow, let them
not be tempted to forsake each other. Let them always remember that in each other
they have the beautiful and the strong, and the one in whose arms they will be
repaired. May they remain young yet grow wise in this relationship. We ask that
you bring them what You desire for them. We ask this in your name, Amen
Vows
As Xx and Yy are about to share their
vows I ask for those of you here that are married to join hands and remember
and renew the vows you have shared together.
Xx
and Yy please Join right hands and repeat after me.
I Yy take you Xx to be my lawfully
wedded wife.
To have and to hold from this day forward,
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish till death do we part,
And to that I pledge to you my faithfulness.
I Xx take you Yy to be my lawfully
wedded Husband.
To have and to hold from this day forward,
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish till death do we part,
And to that I pledge to you my faithfulness.
Ring
Ceremony
And
so we come Xx and Yy, to the presentation of rings by
which you symbolize and bind your love.
The
circle has long been a symbol of spirit and the power of God. Without beginning or end and with no
point of weakness, the circle is a reminder of the eternal quality of God and
of unending strength. Let the seamless circle of these rings become the symbol
of your endless love and unending faithfulness.
Your wedding rings are most special because they say that even in your
uniqueness you have chosen to be bonded, to allow the presence of another human
being to enhance who you are. As you wear them through time, they will reflect
not only who you are but also the union you are making, the fact that
throughout the rest of your lives each of you will be imprinted by the other,
yet as yourself remain.
God,
bless these rings and the two who exchange them. Fill them with your Holy
Presence. Keep them safe in the circle
of Your protection and love.
Yy, place the ring on Xx’s
finger and repeat after me: “With this
ring, I pledge my love and faithfulness to you, today, tomorrow and always
Xx, place the ring on Yy's
finger and repeat after me: “With this ring, I pledge my love and faithfulness
to you, today, tomorrow and always."
Wear these rings as the
enclosing bond of reverence and trust. Fulfill the circle of love that now
makes you one.
Candle
Lighting Ceremony
Within each human being burns the spark of the
Divine. When two people love one another
with devotion and freedom, they kindle the awareness of that spark in each other
as nothing else quite can do. Take into your beings the warmth, radiance and
light that the divine flame represents.
Let it light your way on the journey of life that you are about to
embark upon.
In committing to one another today, in
the spirit of being born new to one another, you kindle each other’s divine
light and promise always to see that light in one another-to nurture and tend
that divine flame in your partner as best you can each day-especially at the
times it may be hardest to see, and the times your partner may doubt or forget
the existence of that light within him-or herself.
If at this time you wish to affirm your
free choice to unite as partners in marriage, please light the unlit candle
together now. (They light unlit candle together) As you bring your
individual flames together to symbolically form the new and greater flame of
your marriage, never forget that the light of your union is made up of your
unique, individual expressions of light and is continually sustained and
renewed by your connection to the eternal light of God.
The candle you lit together symbolizes
your marriage, your willingness to surrender to something greater than
yourselves. May the light of your marriage, Xx and Yy, be a beacon in the
night, a safe harbor from the storms of life. May your future be made
infinitely brighter by the light and the love that you share.
Benediction
The two of you are now joined in one unbroken circle.
Wherever you go, may you always return to one another in your togetherness. May
you two find in each other the love for which all men and women long. May you
grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home that you establish be
such a place of sanctuary that all who visit will find there a friend. And may
the Lord bless you and keep you forevermore. Amen.
Pronouncement
Forasmuch as you, Xx
and you, Yy, have openly declared
your wishes to be united in marriage, and in the presence of these witnesses have
pledged love to each other, and have confirmed the same by joining hands,
exchanging rings and declaring your vows, I as a minister and legally
authorized to do so by the state of Wisconsin pronounce that you are now
husband and wife. As kisses are messengers of love, kiss now and let soul meet
soul on each other's lips.
Conclusion: And
now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present to you for the first
time, Mr. and Mrs. ________________.
Recessional
Introduction
Friends, we come here today
to celebrate love.
We see it in the Faces of Xx and Yy who stand before us, but we experience it in our own hearts as
well.
This love is powerful enough
to untie the strong entangled knot of life. It is a love which is spoken of in
all religions, which kindles our souls.
Xx and Yy have opened their hearts to one
another, and today in just a few moments will share their vows of marriage together.
We are deeply grateful to them as well, inviting us to witness and share in
this precious moment.
We ask that the vision you
have for one another always be informed by the radiant power that first brought
you together.
Declaration of Commitment
Xx
and Yy do you come here today of your own freewill to enter into the
bonds of Holy Matrimony, Before God family and friends? If so answer “we do”
Prayer
Let us pray; God, Please make of this relationship a great and holy union. May the joining of this couple be sacred. May the two of them find rest here, a haven for their souls. May they surrender to You their conflicts and their burdens. Bring them together in heart, mind and body and guide them in the ways of holiness. May this relationship be a burst of light, A fount of love and wisdom for them, for their family, for their community. May this bond be a channel for Your love and healing.
As lessons come and challenges grow, let them
not be tempted to forsake each other. Let them always remember that in each
other they have the beautiful and the strong, and the one in whose arms they
will be repaired. May they remain young yet grow wise in this relationship. We
ask that you bring them what You desire for them. We ask this in your name, Amen
Vows
As Xx and Yy are about to share their
vows I ask for those of you here that are married to join hands and remember
and renew the vows you have shared together.
Xx
and Yy please Join right hands and repeat after me.
I Yy take you Xx to be my lawfully wedded wife.
To have and to hold from this day forward,
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish till death do we part,
And to that I pledge to you my faithfulness.
I Xx take you Yy to be my lawfully
wedded Husband.
To have and to hold from this day forward,
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish till death do we part,
And to that I pledge to you my faithfulness.
Ring
Ceremony
And so we come Xx
and Yy, to the presentation of rings
by which you symbolize and bind your love.
The circle has long been a symbol of spirit and the
power of God. The sky and the earth are round. The wind in its greatest power whirls.
The sun and moon, both round, come forth and go down again in a circle. Even the seasons form a great circle in their
changing and always come back again to where they were. Without beginning or end and with no
point of weakness, the circle is a reminder of the eternal quality of God and
of unending strength. Let the seamless circle of these rings become the symbol
of your endless love and unending faithfulness.
Your wedding rings are most special because they say that even in your
uniqueness you have chosen to be bonded, to allow the presence of another human
being to enhance who you are. Your rings
carry a potent double message: We are individuals and yet we belong; we are not
alone. As you wear them through time,
they will reflect not only who you are but also the union you are making, the
fact that throughout the rest of your lives each of you will be imprinted by
the other, yet as yourself remain.
God, bless these rings and the two who exchange them.
Fill them with your Holy
Presence. Keep them safe in the circle of Your
protection and love.
Xx, place the ring on Yy’s finger and repeat after me:
“With this ring, I pledge my love and faithfulness to you, today,
tomorrow and always
Yy, place the ring on Xx's finger and repeat after me: “With this ring, I pledge my love
and faithfulness to you, today, tomorrow and always."
Wear
these rings as the enclosing bond of reverence and trust. Fulfill the circle of
love that now makes you one.
Sand
Ceremony
Love is
the eternal force of life. Love is the force that allows us to face fear and
uncertainty with courage. But although you will be sharing one life, never
forget you are two separate people. Cherish and affirm your differences. Love
each other. Keep your commitment primary. Together you will laugh and cry, be
sick and well, be happy and angry, share and grow. Grow sometimes together,
sometimes separately.
(Bride is handed a clear jar of Colored Sand, Groom is handed a
clear jar of Colored Sand. The minister has one small clear jar filled with
Neutral color sand and a large empty jar).
To
symbolize the importance of the individuals within the marriage and the joining
of two lives into one entity, 3 colors of sand will now be layered into a base. We begin with a layer of Neutral Sand which symbolizes
that the marriage is grounded. (The Minister pours a
little of the Neutral Sand into the large jar)
Then we
layer the individual colors. This symbolizes that the marriage is based on the
strength of the individuals. (Groom poured a little of
his Sand in first, followed by a little more of the Neutral Sand from the
minister. Bride then added a little of her Sand, followed by some additional
Neutral Sand from the minister). And now we combine the color, which
symbolizes two lives joined as one together forever. (Bride
and groom simultaneously pour their remaining sand into the large jar until
their jars are empty. The minister caps off the sand with the last of the
Neutral Sand.)And we cover the mixed sand with a laver of neutral sand
to symbolize the sealing of this bond before all here present. (The minister then holds the large jar up as if presenting
to the wedding audience and places the jar to the side).
The
Rose Ceremony
Your gift to each other for your wedding today has
been your wedding rings - which shall always be an outward demonstration of
your vows of love and respect; and a public showing of your commitment to each
other. Let us consider a rose for your fist gift as Husband and Wife. (Minister gives bride and groom a rose)
The rose is considered a symbol of love and a single
red rose always meant only one thing - it meant the words "I love
you." So it is appropriate that for your first gift as husband and wife be
a single rose. Please exchange your first gift as husband and wife. (couple exchanges roses)
In some ways it seems like you have not done anything
at all. Just a moment ago you were holding one small rose - and now you are
holding one small rose. In some ways, a marriage ceremony is like this. In some
ways, tomorrow is going to seem no different than yesterday. But in fact today,
just now, you both have given and received one of the most valuable and
precious gifts of life - one I hope you always remember - the gift of true and
abiding love within the devotion of marriage.
Xx and Yy, I
would ask that where ever you make your home in the future - whether it be a
large and elegant home - or a small and graceful one - that you both pick one
very special location for roses; so that on each anniversary of this truly
wonderful occasion you both may take a rose to that spot both as a recommitment
to your marriage - and a recommitment that THIS will be a marriage based upon
love.
Xx and Yy, if there is
anything you remember of this marriage ceremony, it is that it was love that
brought you here today, it is only love which can make it a glorious union, and
it is by love which your marriage shall endure.
Pronouncement
Forasmuch as you, Xx
and you, Yy, have openly declared
your wishes to be united in marriage, and in the presence of these witnesses
have pledged love to each other, and have confirmed the same by joining hands,
exchanging rings and declaring your vows, I as a minister and legally
authorized to do so by the state of Wisconsin pronounce that you are now
husband and wife. As kisses are messengers of love, kiss now and let soul meet
soul on each other's lips.
Benediction
The two of you are now joined in one unbroken circle.
Wherever you go, may you always return to one another in your togetherness. May
you two find in each other the love for which all men and women long. May you
grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home that you establish be
such a place of sanctuary that all who visit will find there a friend. And may
the Lord bless you and keep you forevermore. Amen.
Conclusion: And
now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present to you for the first
time, Mr. and Mrs. ________________.
Recessional
Old Testament
A
reading from the book of Genesis 1:26-28.31
God said, `Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let
them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all
the wild beasts and all the reptiles that crawl upon the earth.' God created
man in the image of himself, in the image of God he created him, male and
female he created them. God blessed them, saying to them, `Be fruitful,
multiply, fill the earth and conquer it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the
birds of heaven and all living animals on the earth.' God saw all he had made,
and indeed it was very good. This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the book of Genesis 2:18-24
The Lord God said, `It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make
him a helpmate.' So from the soil the Lord God fashioned all the wild beasts
and all the birds of heaven. These he brought to the man to see what he would
call them; each one was to bear the name the man would give it. The man gave
names to all the cattle, all the birds of heaven and all the wild beasts. But
no helpmate suitable for man was found for him. So the Lord God made the man
fall into a deep sleep. And while he slept, he took one of his ribs and
enclosed it in flesh. The Lord God built the rib he had taken from the man into
a woman, and brought her to the man. The man exclaimed: `This at last is bone
from my bones, and flesh from my flesh! This is to be called woman for this was
taken from man.' This is why a man leaves his father and mother and joins
himself to his wife, and they become one body. This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the book of Genesis 24:48-51,58-67
Abraham's servant said to Laban, `I blessed the Lord, God of my master Abraham,
who had so graciously led me to choose the daughter of my master's brother for his
son. Now tell me whether you are prepared to show kindness and goodness to my
master; if not, say so, and I shall know what to do.' Laban and Bethuel
replied, `This is from the Lord; it is not in our power to say yes or no to
you. Rebekah is there before you. Take her and go; and let her become the wife
of your master's son, as the Lord has decreed.' They called Rebekah and asked
her, `Do you want to leave with this man?' `I do,' she replied. Accordingly
they let their sister Rebekah go, with her nurse, and Abraham's servant and his
men. They blessed Rebekah in these words: `Sister of ours, increase to
thousands and tens of thousands! May your descendants gain possession of the
gates of their enemies!' Rebekah and her servants stood up, mounted the camels,
and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah and departed. Isaac, who lived
in the Negeb, had meanwhile come into the wilderness of the well of Lahai Roi.
Now Isaac went walking in the fields as evening fell, and looking up saw camels
approaching. And Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She jumped down from her
camel, and asked the servant, `Who is that man walking through the fields to
meet us?' The servant replied, `That is my master', then she took her veil and
hid her face. The servant told Isaac the whole story, and Isaac led Rebekah
into his tent and made her his wife; and he loved her. And Isaac was consoled
for the loss of his mother. This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the book of Tobit 7:6-14
Raguel kissed Tobias and wept. Then finding words, he said, `Blessings on you,
child! You are the son of a noble father. How sad it is that someone so
virtuous and full of good deeds should have gone blind!' He fell on the neck of
his kinsman Tobias and wept. And his wife Edna wept for him, and so did his
daughter Sarah. Raguel killed a sheep from the flock, and they gave Tobias and
Raphael a warm-hearted welcome.
They washed and bathed and sat down to table. Then Tobias said to Raphael,
`Brother Azarias, will you ask Raguel to give me my sister Sarah?' Raguel
overheard the words, and said to the young man, `Eat and drink, and make the
most of your evening; no one else has the right to take my daughter Sarah - no
one but you, my brother. In any case I, for my own part, am not at liberty to
give her to anyone else, since you are her next of kin. However, my boy, I must
be frank with you: I have tried to find a husband for her seven times among our
kinsmen, and all of them have died the first evening, on going to her room. But
for the present, my boy, eat and drink; the Lord will grant you his grace and
peace.' Tobias spoke out, `I will not hear of eating and drinking till you have
come to a decision about me'. Raguel answered, `Very well. Since, as prescribed
by the Book of Moses, she is given to you, heaven itself decrees she shall be
yours. I shall therefore entrust your sister to you. From now you are her
brother and she is your sister. She is given to you from today for ever. The
Lord of heaven favour you tonight, my child, and grant you his grace and
peace.' Raguel called for his daughter Sarah, took her by the hand and gave her
to Tobias with these words, `I entrust her to you; the law and the ruling
recorded in the Book of Moses assign her to you as your wife. Take her; take her
home to your father's house with a good conscience. The God of heaven grant you
a good journey in peace.' Then he turned to her mother and asked her to fetch
him writing paper. He draw up the marriage contract, how he gave his daughter
as bride to Tobias according to the ordinance in the Law of Moses. After this
they began to eat and drink. This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the book of Tobit 8:4-8
On the evening of their marriage, Tobias said to Sarah, `You and I must pray
and petition our Lord to win his grace and protection.' They began praying for
protection, and this was how he began:
'You are blessed, O God of our fathers; blessed, too, is your name for ever and
ever. Let the heavens bless you and all things you have made for evermore. It
was you who created Adam, you who created Eve his wife to be his help and
support; and from these two the human race was born. It was you who said,
"It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make him a helpmate
like himself." And so I do not take my sister for any lustful motive; I do
it in singleness of heart. Be kind enough to have pity on her and on me and
bring us to old age together.' And together they said, `Amen, Amen'.
This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the Song of Songs 2:8-10.14.16;8:6-7
I hear my Beloved.
See how he comes leaping on the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
My Beloved is like a gazelle, like a young stag.
See where he stands behind our wall.
He looks in at the window, he peers through the lattice.
My Beloved lifts up his voice, he says to me,
'Come then, my love, my lovely one, come.
My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock.
In the coverts of the cliff, show me your face,
let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet
and your face is beautiful.'
My beloved is mine and I am his.
Set me like a seal on your heart, like a seal on your arm.
For love is strong as Death, jealousy relentless as Sheol.
The flash of it is a flash of fire, a flame of the Lord himself.
Love no flood can quench, no torrents drown.
This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the book of Ecclesiasticus 26:1-4,13-16
Happy the husband of a really good wife; the number of his days will be
doubled. A perfect wife is the joy of her husband, he will live out the years
of his life in peace. A good wife is the best of portions, reserved for those
who fear the Lord; rich or poor, they will be glad of heart; cheerful of face,
whatever the season. The grace of a wife will charm her husband, her
accomplishments will make him stronger.
A silent wife is a gift from the Lord, no price can be put on a well-trained
character. A modest wife is a boon twice over, a chaste character cannot be
weighed on scales. Like the sun rising over the mountains of the Lord is the
beauty of a good wife in a well-kept house.
This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the prophet Jeremiah 31:31-34
See, the days are coming - it is the Lord who speaks - when l will make a new
covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah, but not a covenant
like the one I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to
bring them out of the land of Egypt. No, this is the covenant I will make with
the House of Israel when those/days arrive - it is the Lord who speaks. Deep
within them I will plant my Law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be
their God and they shall be my people. There will be no further need for
neighbour to try to teach neighbour, or brother to say to brother, `Learn to
know the Lord!' No, they will all know, me, the least no less than the greatest
- it is the Lord who speaks.
This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
It
is appropriate to use this reading in the Easter Season.
A
reading from the book of the Apocalypse 19:1,5-9
I, John, seemed to hear the great sound of a huge crowd in heaven, singing,
`Alleluia! Victory and glory and power to our God!' Then a voice came from the
throne; it said, `Praise our God you servants of his and all who, great or
small, revere him'. And I seemed to hear the voices of a huge crowd, like the
sound of the ocean or the great roar of thunder, answering, `Alleluia! The
reign of the Lord our God Almighty has begun, let us be glad and joyful and
give praise to God, because this is the time for the marriage of the Lamb. His
bride is ready, and she has been able to dress herself in dazzling white linen,
because her linen is made of the good deeds of the saints.' The angel said,
`Write this: Happy are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.'
This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Psalm 23
Response: The Lord
is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
All: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh
and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
to revive my drooping spirit. R/.
He
guides me along the right path;
he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
with these you give me comfort. R/.
You
have prepared a banquet for me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing. R/.
Surely
goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord's own house shall I dwell
for ever and ever. R/.
Psalm 32
Response: The earth is
full of the goodness of the Lord.
All: The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
They
are happy, whose God is the Lord,
the people he has chosen as his own.
The Lord looks on those who revere him,
on those who hope in his love. R/.
2
Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
The Lord is our help and our shield.
In him do our hearts find joy.
We trust in his holy name. R/.
3
May your love be upon us, O Lord,
as we place all our hope in you. R/.
Psalm 33
Response: I will
bless the Lord at all times.
All: I will bless the Lord at all times
Or
Response: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord..
All: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
1 I
will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad. R/.
2
Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free. R/.
3
Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called; the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress. R/.
4
The angel of the Lord is encamped
around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He is happy who seeks refuge in him. R/.
Psalm 102
Response: The Lord is kind and merciful.
All: The Lord is kind and merciful.
Or
Response: The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
All: The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
1
My soul, give thanks to the Lord,
all my being, bless his holy name.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings. R/.
2
The Lord is compassion and love,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
As a father has compassion on his sons,
the Lord has pity on those who fear him. R/.
3
The love of the Lord is everlasting
upon those who hold him in fear;
his justice reaches out to children's children
when they keep his covenant in truth. R/.
Psalm 121
Response: I rejoiced
when I heard them say: let us go to the house of the Lord.
All: I rejoiced when I heard them say: let us go to the house of the
Lord.
or
Response: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
All: Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
1.
I rejoiced when I heard them say:
‘Let us go to God’s house.’
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem. R.
2.
Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord. R.
3.
For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgement
of the house of David. R.
4.
For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
‘Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces peace!’ R.
5.
For love of my brethren and friends
I say: “Peace upon you!’
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good. R.
Psalm: 111
Response: Happy are
those who do what the Lord commands.
All: Happy are those who do what the Lord commands
1
Happy the man who fears the Lord,
who takes delight in his commands.
His sons will be powerful on earth;
the children of the upright are blessed. R/.
2
Riches and wealth are in his house;
his justice stands firm for ever.
He is a light in the darkness for the upright:
he is generous, merciful and just. R/.
3
The good man takes pity and lends,
he conducts his affairs with honour.
The just man will never waver:
he will be remembered for ever. R/.
4
He has no fear of evil news;
with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart he will not fear;
he will see the downfall of his foes. R/.
5
Open-handed, he gives to the poor;
his justice stands firm for ever.
His head will be raised in glory. R/.
Psalm: 127
Response: Happy are
those who fear the Lord.
All: Happy are those who fear the Lord.
Or
Response: See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
All: See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
1 O
blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!
By the labour of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper. R/.
2
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table. R/.
3
Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life! R/.
Psalm 144
Response: The Lord
is compassionate to all his creatures.
All: The Lord is compassionate to all his creatures.
1
The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
Slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures. R/.
2
All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
The eyes of all creatures look to you
and give them their food in due time. R/.
3
The Lord is just in all his ways
and loving in all his deeds.
He is close to all who call him,
who call on him from their hearts. R/.
Psalm 148
Response: Let all praise
the name of the Lord.
All: Let all praise the name of the Lord.
1
Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his host. R/.
2
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, shining stars.
Praise him, highest heavens
and the waters above the heavens. R/.
3
All mountains and hills,
all fruit trees and cedars,
beasts, wild and tame,
reptiles and birds on the wing. R/.
4
All earth's kings and peoples,
earth's princes and rulers:
young men and maidens,
old men together with children. R/.
5
Let them praise the name of the Lord
for he alone is exalted.
The splendour of his name
reaches beyond heaven and earth. R/.
New Testament
A
reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 8:31-35. 37-39
With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own
Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that
he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has
chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not
only died for us - he rose from the dead, and there at God's right hand he
stands and pleads for us.
Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are
troubled or worried or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being
threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by
the power of him who loved us.
For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing
that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any
created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is the word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 12:1-2. 9-18
Think of God's mercy, my
brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking
beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to
God. Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let
your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to
discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what
is the perfect thing to do. Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely
prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a
profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and
with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you
cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the
saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality
your special care.
Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those
who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal
kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. Do not
allow yourself to become self-satisfied. Never repay evil with evil but let
everyone see that you are interested only in the highest ideals. Do all you can
to live at peace with everyone. This is the word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
Shorter form
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 12:1-2. 9-13
Think of God's mercy, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is
worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice,
truly pleasing to God. Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world
around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is
the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that
God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.
Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil.
Love each other as much as brothers should, and have profound respect for each
other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of
spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials
come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with
them; and you should make hospitality your special care. This is the word of
the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 6:13-15,17-20
The body is not meant for fornication; it is for the Lord, and the Lord for the
body. God, who raised the Lord from the dead, will by his power raise us up
too. You know, surely, that your bodies are members making up the body of
Christ. But anyone who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. Keep away
from fornication. All the other sins are committed outside the body; but to
fornicate is to sin against your own body. Your body, you know, is the temple
of the Holy Spirit, who is in you since you received him from God. You are not
your own property; you have been bought and paid for. That is why you should
use your body for the glory of God. This is the word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the first letter of
Be ambitious for the higher gifts. And I am going to show you a way that is
better than any of them. If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels, but
speak without love, I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing. If I have
the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are, and knowing
everything, and if I have faith in all its fullness, to move mountains, but
without love, then I am nothing at all. If I give away all that I possess,
piece by piece, and if I even let them take my body to burn it, but am without
love, it will do me no good whatever.
Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or
conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not
resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the
truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever
comes. Love does not come to an end.
This is the word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the letter of
Follow Christ by loving
as he loved you, giving himself up in our place. Give way to one another in
obedience to Christ. Wives should regard their husbands as they regard the
Lord, since as Christ is head of the Church and saves the whole body, so is a
husband the head of his wife; and as the Church submits to Christ, so should
wives to their husbands, in everything. Husbands should love their wives just
as Christ loved the Church' and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy. He
made her clean by washing her in water with a form of words, so that when he
took her to himself she would be glorious, with no speck or wrinkle or anything
like that, but holy and faultless. In the same way, husbands must love their
wives as they love their own bodies; for a man to love his wife is for him to
love himself. A man never hates his own body, but he feeds it and looks after
it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church, because it is his body - and
we are its living parts. For this reason, a man must leave his father and
mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one body. This
mystery has many implications; but I am saying it applies to Christ and the
Church. To sum up; you too, each one of you, must love his wife as he loves
himself; and let every wife respect her husband. This is the word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
Shorter form
A reading from the letter of
Follow Christ by loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place.
Husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed
himself for her to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her in water with
a form of words, so that when he took her to himself she would be glorious with
no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless. In the same
way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies; for a man to
love his wife is for him to love himself. A man never hates his own body, but
he feeds it and looks after it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church,
because it is his body - and we are its living parts. For this reason, a man
must leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will
become one body. This mystery has many implications; but I am saying it applies
to Christ and the Church. This is the word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the letter of
You are God's chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed
in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear
with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has
forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them
together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in
your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of
one body. Always be thankful. Let the message of Christ, in all its richness,
find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom.
With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God
and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through him. This is the word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the first letter of St Peter 3:1-9
Wives should be obedient
to their husbands. Then, if there are some husbands who have not yet obeyed the
word, they may find themselves won over, without a word spoken, by the way
their wives behave, when they see how faithful and conscientious they are. Do
not dress up for show: doing up your hair, wearing gold bracelets and fine
clothes; all this should be inside, in a person's, heart, imperishable: the
ornament of a sweet and gentle disposition - this is what is precious in the
sight of God. That was how the holy women of the past dressed themselves
attractively - they hoped in God and were tender and obedient to their
husbands; like Sarah, who was obedient to Abraham, and called him her lord. you
are now her children, as long as you live good lives and do not give way to
fear or worry.
In the same way, husbands must always treat their wives with consideration in
their life together, respecting a woman as one who, though she may be the
weaker partner, is equally an heir to the life of grace. This will stop
anything from coming in the way of your prayers.
Finally: you should all agree among yourselves and be sympathetic; love the
brothers, have compassion and be self-effacing. Never pay back one wrong with
another one; instead, pay back with a blessing. That is what you are called to
do, so that you inherit a blessing yourself. This is the word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
A
reading from the first letter of St John 3:18-24
My children,
our love is not to be just words or mere talk,
but something real and active;
only by this can we be certain
that we are children of the truth
and be able to quieten our conscience in his presence,
whatever accusations it may raise against us,
because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything.
My dear people,
if we cannot be condemned by our own conscience,
we need not be afraid in God's presence,
and whatever we ask him,
we shall receive,
because we keep his commandments
and live the kind of life that he wants.
His commandments are these:
that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ
and that we love one another
as he told us to.
All:
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamations
1
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
If we love one another,
God will live in us in perfect love.
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
2
Glory and praise to
you, Lord Jesus Christ!
All who live in love, live in God,
and God in them.
Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
3
Glory and praise to
you, Lord Jesus Christ!
God is love;
let us love one another as he has loved us.
Glory and praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
4
Praise and honour to
you, Lord Jesus Christ!
Everyone who loves is born of God
and knows him.
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
Gospel Acclamations during all other Seasons
1
Alleluia, alleluia!
If we love one another,
God will live in us in perfect love.
Alleluia!
2
Alleluia, alleluia!
All who live in love, live in God,
and God in them.
Alleluia!
3
Alleluia, alleluia!
God is love;
let us love one another as he has loved us.
Alleluia!
4
Alleluia, alleluia!
Everyone who loves is born of God
and knows him.
Alleluia!
Gospel
A
reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 5:1-12
Seeing the crowds,
Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. then
he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
"How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy are the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of
heaven."
"Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds
of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will
be great in heaven." This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
A
reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus said to his
disciples: `You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what
can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to
be trampled underfoot by men.
`You are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. No
one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it
shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the
sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your
Father in heaven.' This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
A
reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 7:21,24-29
Jesus said to his
disciples:
`It is not those who say to me, "Lord, Lord", who will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.
`Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will
be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods
rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against the house, and it did not fall:
it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and
does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand.
Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and
what a fall it had!'
Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and his teaching made a deep
impression on the people because he taught them with authority, and not like
their own scribes. This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Shorter
form
A reading from
the holy Gospel according to Matthew 7:21,24-25
Jesus said to his
disciples:
`It is not those who say to me, "Lord, Lord", who will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.
`Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will
be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods
rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall:
it was founded on rock.' This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
A
reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 19:3-6
Some Pharisees
approached Jesus, and to test him they said, `Is it against the Law for a man
to divorce his wife on any pretext whatever?' He answered, `Have you not read
that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said:
This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the
two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then,
what God has united, man must not divide.'
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
A
reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 22:35-40
A lawyer, to
disconcert Jesus, put a question, `Master, which is the greatest commandment of
the Law?' Jesus said, `You must love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first
commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself.
On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.' This is
the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
A
reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 10:6-9
Jesus said, `From
the beginning of creation God made them male and female. This is why a man must
leave father and mother, and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore,
but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.'
This is the Gospel of the Lord. 7
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
A reading
from the holy Gospel according to John 2:1-11
There was a wedding
at
This was the first of the signs given by Jesus: it was given at
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
A
reading from the holy Gospel according to John 15:9-12
Jesus said to his
disciples: `As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my
Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own
joy may be in you and your joy be complete. This is my commandment: love one
another, as I loved you.' This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
A
reading from the holy Gospel according to John 15:12-16
Jesus said to his
disciples:
`This is my commandment:
love one another,
as I have loved you.
A man can have no greater love
than to lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends,
if you do what I command you.
I shall not call you servants any more,
because a servant does not know
his master's business;
I call you friends,
because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.
You did not choose me,
no, I chose you;
and I commissioned you
to go out and to bear fruit,
fruit that will last;
and then the Father will give you
anything you ask him in my name.'
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
A
reading from the holy Gospel according to John 17:20-26
Jesus raised his
eyes to heaven and said:
`Holy Father,
I pray not only for these,
but for those also
who through their words will believe in me.
May they all be one.
Father, may they be one in us,
as you are in me and I am in you,
so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.
I have given them the glory you gave to me,
that they may be one as we are one.
With me in them and you in me,
may they be so completely one
that the world will realise that it was you who sent me
and that I have loved them as much as you loved me.
Father,
I want those you have given me
to be with me where I am,
so that they may always see the glory
you have given me
because you loved me
before the foundation of the world.
Father, Righteous One,
the world has not known you,
but I have known you,
and these have known
that you have sent me.
I have made your name known to them
and will continue to make it known,
so that the love with which you loved me may be in them,
and so that I may be in them.'
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Shorter form
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 17:20-23
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:
`Holy Father,
I pray not only for these,
but for those also
who through their words will believe in me.
May they all be one.
Father, may they be one in us,
as you are in me and I am in you,
so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.
I have given them the glory you gave to me,
that they may be one as we are one.
With me in them and you in me,
may they be so completely one
that the world will realise that it was you who sent me
and that I have loved them as much as you loved me.'
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Preparing the Wedding Liturgy
with
the Liturgy of the Word and Rite of Marriage
(outside of Mass)
Celebrant:
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Celebrant:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of
the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And also with you.
Opening Prayers for the Rite of Marriage
A
Father,
you have made the bond of marriage a holy mystery,
a symbol of Christ's love for his Church.
Hear our prayers for N. and N.
With faith in you and in each other
they pledge their love today.
May their lives always bear witness
to the reality of that love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
or B
Father,
when you created mankind
you willed that man and wife should be one.
Bind N. and N. in the loving union of marriage
and make their love fruitful
so that they may be living witnesses
to your divine love in the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
or C
Father,
hear our prayers for N. and N.,
who today are united in marriage before your altar.
Give them your blessing,
and strengthen their love for each other.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
or D
Almighty God,
hear our prayers for N. and N.,
who have come here today
to be united in the sacrament of marriage.
Increase their faith in you and in each other,
and through them bless your Church with Christian children.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Liturgy of the Word
(see supplement)
Invitation to the Rite of Marriage
Celebrant introduces
the rite of marriage with these or similar words:
My dear friends,
you have come together in this church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen
your love in the presence of the Church's minister and this community. Christ
abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now
he enriches and strengthens you by a special sacrament so that you may assume
the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence
of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions.
Stating Intentions
Celebrant:
<name1> and <name2>, have you come here freely and without
reservation
to give yourselves to each other in marriage?
<name1>: I have.
<name2>: I have.
Celebrant:
Will you love and honour each other as man and wife
for the rest of your lives?
<name1>: I will.
<name2>: I will.
Celebrant:
Will you accept children lovingly form God
and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?
<name1>: I will.
<name2>: I will.
Exchange of Consent
(Marriage Vows)
Two Options
Celebrant:
Since it is your intention to enter into marriage,
join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church.
Groom or <name1>:
I, <name1>, take you, <name2>, for my lawful wife,
to have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,
until death do us part.
Bride or <name2>:
I, <name2>, take you, <name1>, for my lawful husband,
to have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,
until death do us part
Celebrant:
You have declared your consent before the church.
May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent
and fill your both with his blessings.
What God has joined, no one must divide.
All: Amen.
OR
Groom <name1>:
I, <name1>, take you, <name2>, to be my wife.
I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in
health.
I will love you and honour you all the days of my life.
Bride or <name2>:
I, <name2>, take you, <name1>, to be my husband.
I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in
health.
I will love you and honour you all the days of my life.
Celebrant:
You have declared your consent before the church.
May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent
and fill your both with his blessings.
What God has joined, no one must divide.
All: Amen.
Blessing of Rings {Options available}
A
Celebrant: May
the Lord bless + these rings
which you give to each other as the sign of your love and fidelity.
All: Amen.
or B
Celebrant: Lord,
bless these rings which we bless + in your name.
Grant that those who wear them may always have a deep faith in each other.
May they do your will and always live together in peace, good will, and love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
or C
Celebrant: Lord,
bless + and consecrate N. and N. in their love for each other.
May these rings be a symbol of true faith in each other,
and always remind them of their love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
or D (When there is only one
ring)
Celebrant: Lord,
bless this ring which we bless + in your name.
May it always be a sign that this man (or N.) and this woman (or N.)
are one in heart and mind. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Exchange Of Rings
Groom or <name1>:
<name2>, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Bride or <name2>:
<name1>, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer of the Faithful (Intercessions)
for Rite of Marriage
These intercessions are introduced and concluded by the celebrant, a reader leads the individual petitions. Six sets (A-F) are given below, though the petitions may be selects from any set or may be personally composed.
A
Priest: God the Father, source of all life and love, willed that husband and wife should become one flesh in marriage. Let us pray to him in sincerity of heart on this joyous occasion.
We pray for N. and N.,
that their love for each other may be patterned on Christ's love for his bride,
the Church. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for N. and N.
will share in God's creative work and enjoy the gift of children. Lord, hear
us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the parents
of N. and N...., that they will continue to support them on the journey which
begins at this altar. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those
preparing for their marriage day, that they may understand well the dignity and
responsibilities of the marriage covenant and family life. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for married
people everywhere, that they will live in love and faithfulness, for better, for
worse, in joy or in sorrow, all the days of their lives. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Priest: Father of life
and love, in union with Mary our Mother, who was a wedding guest at
All: Amen.
B
Priest: My dear friends, let us ask God to bless N. and N. in their marriage and to unite them in love through his Holy Spirit.
That their married love
may reflect God's saving love for the human family. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That they may be united
in love and fidelity as Christ is united with his church. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That, through the Holy
Spirit, they may grow into a community of love and show that Christ's Church is
present in their home. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That, through loving one
another in Christ, they may come to love Christ in their neighbour. Lord, hear
us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That the Church will
bring salvation to the world by expressing Christ's love for all people. Lord,
hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That all Christians may
radiate the joy of living in Christ. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Priest: Father, you have
made Christian marriage the sign of the unity between Christ and his Church.
Hear our prayers for N. and N. May they love one another as Christ loves his
Church. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
C
Priest: My dear friends,
let us pray to the Lord that he will make known to N. and N. the riches of
their vocation in marriage.
That, through the gift of
the Holy Spirit, their lives may be lived in love. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That God will help them
to make a home together, and grace it with hospitality, friendship and prayer.
Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That God will make their
love an expression of his creative love, and bless them with children. Lord,
hear us.
Or That God will make their love an expression of his saving love for all
people. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That they may minister
the grace of marriage to each other in their joys and sorrows, in their hopes
and disappointments. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That the Church may
reveal to the world God's love for the human family. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That the grace of
marriage will be renewed in all Christian families. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Priest: Father, you are a
God of love, and through your Son you have taught us to love one another. May
N. and N. in their marriage take Christ's love into the world. We ask this
through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
D
Priest: My dear friends, let us pray to our Father in heaven that he will bless N. and N. throughout their married life, and that he will keep them united in undivided love.
That they may always love
one another as Christ loves his Church. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That, in their marriage,
they will listen to Christ's gospel and pray together. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That, through the joys
and sacrifices of their married life, they will give witness to their love for
Christ. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That the Christian hope
for peace on earth may be fulfilled in their family. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That the grace of
marriage may be renewed in all Christian families, and redeem human love from
selfishness and indifference. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That all Christians will
witness to the gospel of love and offer hospitality to Christ when he comes to
them in the form of a stranger. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Priest: Father, you are
love itself, and you have made man and woman in your likeness. Hear our prayers
for N. and N. May they bring your love to others throughout the years of their
marriage. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
E
Priest: My dear friends, let us ask God to bless N. and N. in their marriage and to keep them united in their covenant of love.
That God will help them
to fulfil their human and Christian vocation in marriage. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That, through their love
for each other, they will give witness to his eternal covenant of love with the
human family. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That they may be faithful
as God is faithful, and led to holiness through success and failure. Lord, hear
us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That, as their faith
increases, they may see the mystery of Christ's death and resurrection in their
life. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That he will bless their
parents, friends and all who are here let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That all Christians may
be faithful to the command of his covenant and love one another as Christ has
loved them. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That he will grant peace
to the world, and help the members of the human family to live for each other.
Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Priest: Father, in the
new covenant of Christ you have given us the pledge of your eternal love and
fidelity. Hear our prayers for N. and N. May they mirror your love and reflect
your fidelity in their married life. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
F
Priest: My dear friends, let us pray to our Father in heaven that he will keep N. and N. united in undivided love, and that he will bless them throughout their married life.
That their love may be
patient and gentle, ready to trust, and to endure whatever comes. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That they may pray
together in joy and in sorrow, and always give thanks for the gift of each
other. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That God will bless their
daily work and perfect through them his work of creation. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That his peace may dwell
in their home and give hope of peace to the world. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That all married people
may be helped to renew and deepen their love. Lord, hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
That the Church will
bring salvation to the world by expressing Christ's love for all people. Lord,
hear us.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Priest: Almighty God, you
have come into the lives of N. and N. through the gift of married love. Remain
with them always, and show your great love for those who call you their Father.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Our Father
A
My dear friends,
let us turn to the Lord and pray that he will bless with his grace this woman [or
N.] now married in Christ to this man [or N.] and that [through the sacrament
of the body and blood of Christ,] he will unite in love the couple he has
joined in this holy bond.
Father, by your power you have made everything out of nothing. In the beginning you created the universe and made mankind in your own likeness.
You gave man the constant help of woman so that man and woman should no longer flesh, and you teach us that what you have united may never be divided.
Father, by your plan man and woman are united, and married life has been established as the one blessing that was not forfeited by original sin or washed away in the flood.
Look with love upon this woman, your daughter, now joined together husband in marriage. She asks your blessing. Give her the grace of love and peace. May she always follow the example of the holy women whose praises are sung in the scriptures.
May her husband put his trust in her and recognise that she is his equal and the heir with him to the life of grace. May he always honour her and love her as Christ loves his bride, the Church.
Father, keep them always true to your commandments. Keep them faithful in marriage and let them be living examples of Christian life.
Give them the strength which comes from the gospel so that they may be witnesses of Christ to others. [Bless them with children and help them to be good parents. May they live to see their children's children.] And, after a happy old age, grant them fullness of life with the saints in the kingdom of heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
or B
Let us pray to
the Lord for N. and N., who come to God's altar at the beginning of their
married life so that they may always be united in love for each other [as now
they share in the body and blood of Christ].
Holy Father, you created mankind in your own image and made man and woman to be joined as husband and wife in union of body and heart and so fulfil their mission in this world.
Father, to reveal the plan of your love, you made the union of husband and wife an image of the covenant between you and your people. In the fulfilment of this sacrament, the marriage of Christian man and woman is a sign of the marriage between Christ and the Church. Father, stretch out your hand, and bless N. and N.
Lord, grant that as they begin to live this sacrament they may share with each other the gins of your love and become one in heart and mind as witnesses to your presence in their marriage. Help them to create a home together [and give them children to be formed by the gospel and to have a place in your family].
Give your blessings to N., your daughter, so that she may be a good wife [and mother], caring for the home, faithful in love for her husband, generous and kind. Give your blessings to N., your son, so that he may be a faithful husband [and a good father].
Father, grant that as they come together to your table on earth, so they may one day have the joy of sharing your feast in heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All:
Amen.
or C
My dear friends,
let us ask God for his continued blessings upon this bridegroom and his bride
[or N. and N.].
Holy Father, creator of the universe, maker of man and woman in your own likeness, source of blessing for married life, we humbly pray to you for this woman who today is united with her husband in this sacrament of marriage.
May your fullest blessing come upon her and her husband so that they may together rejoice in your gift of married love [and enrich your Church with their children].
Lord, may they both praise you when they are happy and turn to you in their sorrows. May they be glad that you help them in their work and know that you are with them in their need. May they pray to you in the community of the Church, and be your witnesses in the world. May they reach old age in the company of their friends, and come at last to the kingdom of heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
or D (marriage between a
baptised person and an unbaptised person)
My friends, let us
ask God for his continued blessings upon this bridegroom and his bride [or N.
and N.].
Holy Father, creator of the universe, maker of man and woman in your own likeness, source of blessing for married life, we humbly pray to you for this woman who today is united with her husband in the bond of marriage.
May your fullest blessing come upon her and her husband so that they may together rejoice in your gift of married love. May they be noted for the good lives [and be parents filled with virtue].
Lord, may they both praise you when they are happy and turn to you in their sorrows. May they be glad that you help them in their work and know that you are with them in their need. May they pray to you in the community of the Church, and be your witnesses in the world. May they reach old age in the company of their friends, and come at last to the kingdom of heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All:
Amen.
Final Blessings for Rite of Marriage
A
Celebrant: God the eternal Father keep you in love with each other,
so that the peace of Christ may stay with you
and be always in your home.
All: Amen.
Celebrant: May (your
children bless you)
your friends console you
and all men live in peace with you.
All: Amen.
Celebrant: May you always
bear witness to the love of God in this world
so that the afflicted and the needy
wilt find in you generous friends,
All: Amen.
Celebrant: And may
almighty God bless you all,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
or B
Celebrant: May God, the almighty Father,
give you his joy and bless you (in your children).
All: Amen.
Celebrant: May the only
Son of God have mercy on you
and help you in good times and in bad.
All: Amen.
Celebrant: May the Holy
Spirit of God
always fill your hearts with his love.
All: Amen.
Celebrant: And may
almighty God bless you all,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
or C
Celebrant: May the Lord Jesus, who was a guest at the wedding in
bless you and your families and friends.
All: Amen.
Celebrant: May Jesus, who
loved his Church to the end,
always fill your hearts with his love.
All: Amen.
Celebrant: May he grant
that, as you believe in his resurrection,
so you may wait for him in joy and hope.
All: Amen.
Celebrant: And may
almighty God bless you all,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Dismissal and
Procession out of the Church
At the day and time appointed for solemnization of
Matrimony, the persons to be married shall come into the porch of the Church
with their friends and neighbors; and there standing together, the Man on the
right hand, and the woman on the left, with that person who shall give the
Woman betwixt them, the Priest shall say:
Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God to join
together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honorable
estate, instituted of God in Paradise, and into which holy estate these two
persons present come now to be joined.
Therefore if any man can show any just cause, why they may not lawfully be
joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace.
I require and charge you both, as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgment
when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know
any impediment, why ye may not be lawfully joined together in Matrimony, that
ye confess it. For ye be well assured, that so many as be coupled together
otherwise than God's Word doth allow are not joined together by God; neither is
their Matrimony lawful. At which day of Marriage, if any man do allege and
declare any impediment, why they may not be coupled together in Matrimony, by
God's Law, or the Laws of the Realm; and will be bound, and sufficient sureties
with him, to the parties; or else put in a Caution (to the full value of such
charges as the persons to be married do thereby sustain) to prove his
allegation; then the solemnization must be deferred, until such time as the
truth be tried. If no impediment be alleged, then shall the
Priest say unto the Man: Wilt the have this
Woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy
estate of Matrimony? Wilt the love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her, in
sickness and in health; and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so
long as ye both shall live?
The Man shall answer: I will.
Then shall the Priest say to the Woman: Wilt the
have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance
in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt the obey him, and serve him, love,
honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep
thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?
The Woman shall answer: I will.
Thus ends the formal betrothal. The couple shall
advance to the Altar, led by the Minister, who shall then turn to the assembled
company, and say:
Who giveth this Woman to be married to this Man?
The person who gives the Woman shall answer, and shall place the Woman's right
hand in the hand of the Minister, and then shall retire. Then shall they give
their troth to each other in this manner: The Minister, receiving the Woman at
her father's or friend's hands, shall cause the Man with his right hand to take
the Woman by her right hand, and to say after him as followeth,
GROOM' VOW: "I, ___________, take thee
__________ to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for
better for worse, for richer for poorer, for fairer or fouler, in sickness and
in health, to love and to cherish, till death us depart, according to God's
holy ordinance; and thereunto I plight thee my troth.
Then shall they loose their hands; and the Woman, with her right hand taking
the Man by his right hand, shall likewise say after the Minister,
BRIDE'S VOW: I ___________ take thee___________
to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for
worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to be bonny and buxom
at bed and at board, to love and to cherish, till death us depart, according to
God's holy ordinance; and thereunto I plight thee my troth.
Then shall they again loose their hands; and the
Man shall give unto the Woman a Ring, laying the same upon the Book with the
accustomed duty to the Priest and Clerk. And the Priest shall bless the Ring(s)
in the following manner:
Bless these Rings, O merciful Lord, that those who wear them, that give and
receive them, may be ever faithful to one another, remain in your peace, and
live and grow old together in your love, under their own vine and fig tree, and
seeing their children's children. Amen.
And the Priest, taking the Ring, shall deliver
it to the Man, to put it on the fourth finger of the Woman's left hand. And the
Man holding the ring there, and taught by the Priest, shall say,
GROOM: With this Ring I thee wed, (here placing
it upon her thumb) and with my body I thee honor, (here placing it upon her
index finger) and with all my worldly goods I thee endow; (here placing it upon
her ring finger) In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
If it be a double-ring ceremony, let the Woman
do the same as the Man, giving him the ring, and repeating the same words as
he. They both shall kneel down; and the Minister shall say,
Let us pray. O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all
spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life; Send thy blessing upon these
thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy Name; + that, as
Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may surely
perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, whereof this Ring
given and received is a token and pledge, and may ever hereafter remain in
perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
And here shall be said the LORD'S PRAYER.
Then shall the Priest join their right hands
together, and say,
Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder. Then shall the
Minister speak unto the people. Forasmuch as N and N have consented together in
holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and
thereto have given and pledged their troth each to the other, and have declared
the same by giving and receiving of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I
pronounce therefore that they be Man and Wife together, in the Name of the
Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
The Minister shall add this blessing.
God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless, preserve, and keep
you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you with
all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life,
that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen.
And here the Minister shall turn the couple to
the Company, and they may kiss each the other, and then proceed from the Altar.
And if it be the wish of the couple to take Communion, they may do it
privately, following these ceremonies.
Commonly, the structure of a wedding ceremony includes some or all of these elements: processional, creation of sacred space, welcoming of guests and partners, declaration of intent, charge, exchange of vows, exchange of rings (or other symbol of union), blessing/benediction, closing and presentation. Also included are hymns or special music, readings, and a shared meal (cakes and ale).
The following scripts are separated into sections, allowing the partners to pick and choose to create a ceremony that is meaningful to the partners. I have not, however, included the creation of sacred space. In cases of multiple partners, the vows may be spoken as a group, or in turn.
We stand before this company, on this beautiful (season) day, to witness the joining of __________ and __________.
Welcome are you, friends and family of this couple/these people. Today, before you and before the Gods, you shall witness a transformation as __________ and __________ share vows and become one.
Good friends, we come here today to witness the joyous celebration of the love between __________ and __________ , supporting them in their decision to be joined as one in the sight of this company and of the Gods.
Blessed be all who attend this glorious celebration, and blessed be those about to be united in the bonds of love.
Friends and loved ones, join with me in the celebration of the union between __________ and __________ as their lives’ paths now merge to become a singular road paved with love.
We gladly receive this company today, to share the joy as __________ and __________ are united in marriage.
If there is any here who can show just cause that these people should not be joined into the bonds of marriage, let them speak now, or keep their silence for all time.
You stand before this company and before the Gods, seeking to become one with each other. You have entered into this union with open eyes and full hearts. If either of you, or anyone present here today, know of any reason why these vows should not be made, speak now.
You are aware of the reality of the vows you are about to speak to one another; of the responsibility that comes when a partnership is created. If there is any reason within your hearts that this ceremony should not continue at this time, I charge you to voice it now, for marriage is based in honesty and trust, and only with those things can you successfully create a partnership.
HP/S: Swear you now, on this sacred blade, that there is no reason known to you that this union should not proceed.
Answer: I do so swear.
HP/S: Is there any reason known to you why this partnership should not be made?
Answer: There is none.
I remind you now of your commitment to one another and to the Rede. “An it harm none, do as thou wilt.” Thus runs the Rede, and such should be considered in your new life together. There will be times of hardship which you must endure, supporting one another with your love and strength and honesty. If you feel you are unable to fulfill your duties to your partner and your responsibility to uphold the Rede, now is the time to declare it.
In Address to the Partners
HP/S: What is your name?
(Answer with legal and/or Craft name).
HP/S: And what is your desire?
Answer: To join with s/he whom I love.
HP/S: __________ , will you have this woman/man to be your partner, to live together in marriage? Will you love her/him, comfort her/him, honour and keep her/him in sickness and in health, for as long as love may last?
Answer: I will.
HP/S: _________ and _________, you stand before me, the Gods, and this company, having desired the bond of marriage. Do you do this of your own free will, coming here today without coercion or pressure from other persons?
Answer: I do.
HP/S: Will you seek to do her/him harm?
Answer: I will not.
HP/S: And if harm is done, will you seek to repair it?
Answer: I will.
HP/S: Will you seek to be honest with her/him in all things?
Answer: I will.
HP/S: Will you support him/her in times of distress?
Answer: I will.
HP/S: Will you temper your words and actions with love?
Answer: I will.
HP/S: These things you have promised to your partner, before this company and the Gods. May you ever be mindful and strive to keep the vows you have spoken.
(These vows may be spoken with a tying of a cord or ribbon about the wrists of the enjoined after each answer, with the HP/S adding, “And so the bond is made” or “And to that promise you are bound.”)
HP/S: I have spoken, “for as long as love shall last” rather than “until death do you part” in the face of the reality that situations and people change. However, this does not mean rending your partnership at the first sign of trouble or disagreement, for you know that in relationships come difficult times. It is your responsibility within this partnership to strive for acceptable solutions, to work toward healing the hurts that will occur, and only after having exhausted all other avenues of possibility and not reaching a solution should such a bond be broken.
HP/S: The latin phrase “Vitam impendere vero” means to consecrate one’s life to truth, and so should truth be the meat of all your dealing within your marriage. Honesty, trust, communication, effort, understanding... all these are the building blocks of a firm marriage, and your solemn responsibility to one another. At this moment you stand at the gateway between your old life and your new. If you, for whatever reason, feel unable to step through that portal at this time, speak now.
In Address to the
Guests
HP/S: Will all of you, present here and witnessing these vows, assist and support these (two) people in their union?
Answer: I will.
HP/S: As these (two) people are joined, so are your famlies united through them. It has been their decision to bind themselves by marriage, and their lives will be blessed and enriched by the support you give. Will you encourage and bless __________ and __________ in their union? Will you celebrate their marriage, standing beside them in rough times, yet not standing between them?
Answer: I will.
HP/S: So Mote It Be.
HP/S: You are friends and relatives of this couple, and thus you are an
important part of their lives. Their interactions with you are coloured by your
actions and words. You have a responsibility to one another and to this couple
to be supportive, understanding, and honest, and on this day of their marriage
do I charge you to temper all of your dealings with love. So Mote It Be.
(Partners may speak the same vows, or choose individual vows)
I, __________, do take you, __________, as my partner and mate. Never will I
seek to do you harm; always will I strive for your happiness and welfare. My
love will be your treasure in the times when other riches fail to serve. My
love will be your medicine in sickness as my hand tends your needs. My love
will be your mirth when your heart is touched by sadness. My love will be your
shining star through the darkest of nights. My love will be your banquet when
life’s table seems empty. All this do I promise you with all the love that is
in my heart. So mote it be.
My love, now do I make my promises to you. I promise to share laughter in times of joy and wonder; to share tears when sorrow touches our lives; to share my dreams and hopes, that our love and minds may grow; to share compassion and understanding during times of frustration and anger; to share all that I have, and all that I am, for as long as love shall last.
I, _________, do take you, _________, as my (lawfully wedded) husband/wife. I vow to you, my love and partner, to be honest, understanding, compassionate, loving, and supportive, even as I ask these things of you. All this may the Gods grant us for as long as our love shall last
I, _________, do ask you, _________, to be my partner in marriage. I ask that you accept my strengths and my faults as I promise to accept yours; I ask for your support and strength when mine own does fail me, as I promise my strength and support in your times of need. I bring you, with best intention, my love, my understanding, all that I have and all that I am.
I, _________, do recognise in you, my love, the form of the God/dess, s/he who gives life; my perfect other half, the shining part of my spirit, holy and human and revered in every way. I promise to honour you, as human and holy, knowing all that I say and all that I do is said and done to the God/dess as well.
(Partners walk clockwise to each direction and recite vows)
Partner 1 (at the East): Here do I promise you communication, laughter, imagination, and hope.
Partner 2: And all this do I promise you.
Together: So mote it be.
Partner 2 (at the South): Here do I promise you love, passion, desire, and warmth.
Partner 1: And all this do I promise you.
Together: So mote it be.
Partner 1 (at the West): Here do I promise you healing, compassion, honesty, and understanding.
Partner 2: And all this do I promise you.
Together: So mote it be.
Partner 2 (at the North): Here do I promise you stability, solidity, dependability, and strength.
Partner 1: And all this do I promise you.
Together: So mote it be.
My loved one, I speak these words of promise to you. I vow, before the Gods and this company, to build with you a life and relationship that is healthy and loving. I promise you my honesty, my compassion, my hand in sharing the work. I promise to encourage your dreams and to listen to your worries. I promise to care for you in every way that I can.
By Air, by Fire, by Water, and by Earth do I bless and consecrate these rings. (The HP/S may present the rings to each direction/element).
These rings, a token of your love for one another, serve as a reminder that all in life is a cycle; all comes to pass and passes away and comes to pass again.
May the element of Air bless these rings. Air is at the beginning of all things,the direction of East, and the dawning of a new day. May your lives through the reminder of this ring be blessed with continuing renewal of love. (Waves rings through incense smoke)
May the element of Fire bless these rings. Fire is the passion within your
love, the spark of love itself, the heat of anger, and the warmth of
compassion. It is the direction of South, the heat of
May the element of Water bless these rings. Water nourishes and replenishes us, the waters of emotion and harmony pour vitality into our lives. It is the direction of West, the afternoon and evening. May your lives through the reminder of this ring be blessed with fulfillment and contentment. (Submerges the rings in water)
May the element of Earth bless these rings. All life springs from the earth and returns to the earth, the direction of North, the nighttime. May your lives through the reminder of this ring be blessed with strength and solidity. (Touches the rings to earth or a stone)
May the Lord and Lady bless these rings, the symbol of union, with happiness, wholeness, and love.
I consecrate these rings with the element of Air, the breath of life. I consecrate these rings with the element of Fire for the warmth of love. I consecrate these rings with the element of Water to wash them clean. I consecrate these rings with the element of Earth for solidity and stability.
Air for hopes and dreams; Fire for the spark of love; Water for harmony and healing; and Earth for strength. May these rings be so Blessed.
By the exchange of these tokens of your love for one another, so are your lives interlaced. What one experiences, so shall the other; as honesty and love build, so will your bond strengthen and grow.
The Circle is a perfect figure, without beginning, without end, with no area of weakness. It is a symbol of the Cycle of Life, of birth, death, and rebirth. This shall serve as a physical reminder of your vow, and that all things begin and end and begin again, as the Gods so decree. These rings shall serve to remind you that life goes on, that these moments pass. When you are engulfed in anger or in sadness, look to your hand, and remember that the Wheel turns forever onward, and it is love that turns the Wheel.
Partner 1: This ring I give to you is a symbol of our love, and of the promises I have spoken to you on this day. Partner 2: I shall wear this ring as a symbol of our love, being always mindful of the vows we have spoken on this day. (Vows may be repeated by the other partner)
Onto each other’s hand you now place a ring, the circlet symbolizing the wheel of life that turns ever onward. There is a lesson in both the hand and the wedding ring. The ring is worn on the fourth finger; in numerology, the number 4 stands for steadiness and endurance. The circle itself is all-encompassing and inclusive. Your hand opens to receive and to give, clenches in frustration and anger, holds and soothes in times of sadness, and clutches in fear. With this hand are cities and sand castles made, music played and poetry written; into these hands is life given, and from these hands is it taken. All the actions of your hand move in sympathetic rhythm with the wheel of life and with your destiny. Pleasure, pain, creation, destruction, giving and receiving are all within the power of your hand. As the ring symbolizes the cycle, so does the hand symbolize the power of actualization and creation. Let this ring remind you of the many turns of the Wheel through which you and your love shall pass, and may everything that is touched by your hand be touched also by love. So Mote It Be.
As you exchange your rings, the outward symbol of your commitment to one another, be reminded also of the Rede. That which you do effects the other. I charge you to be ever mindful of your actions and motives
With a Handfasting cord:
As this knot is tied, so are your lives now bound.
Woven into this cord, imbued into its very fibers, are all the hopes of your friends and family, and of yourselves, for your new life together. With the fashioning of this knot do I tie all the desires, dreams, love, and happiness wished here in this place to your lives for as long as love shall last.
In the joining of hands and the fashion of a knot, so are your lives now bound, one to another.
By this cord you are thus bound to your vow. May this knot remain tied for as long as love shall last.
May this cord draw your hands together in love, never to be used in anger. May the vows you have spoken never grow bitter in your mouths.
As any child discovers when they are learning to tie their own shoes, the first move is to cross the ends. The cross creates the Rune Gebo (X), which is the Rune of partnership and union. As your hands are bound by this cord, so is your partnership held by the symbol of this knot. May it be granted that what is done before the gods be not undone by man.
Two entwined in love, bound by commitment and fear, sadness and joy, by hardship and victory, anger and reconcilliation, all of which brings strength to this union. Hold tight to one another through both good times and bad, and watch as your strength grows.
By Water:
As the water is poured and the two become one, the halves become invisible, indefinable, a true whole.
Take up now your vessels which represent your own persons. The water within them is as your own lives, similar yet separate. In the mixing of these fluids in the singular vessel of your union are your lives thus blended. See how the two, once separate, are a complete whole. So now are your lives.
Water to water, and soul to soul. Love binds and blends us all.
By Flame:
Let the fires of (y)our love for one another and the fire of (y)our spirits mingle here and create a singular flame.
By the bringing and sharing of light, display your intent; let the two fires of your spirits and love for one another merge as one.
Fires of passion and love, join here and become one, as do these people before you.
Each of you take a candle representing your singular selves. Let them meet and unite here at the center. Now extinguish your singular lights, and rejoice in the enduring flame of your love.
Take up and light the candles before you, representing your individual lives. Examine the flame, how it can warm, how it can energize, and how it can harm; fire is both creation and destruction. As you light the candle of your union, bring into it the fire of your love, the warmth of your compassion, and the spark of creativity. So Mote It Be.
By Blood
As the blood of your bodies joins and becomes one, so do your lives and spirits merge.
At the times when you give and receive emotional injuries, recall here how your blood has mingled and how these small hurts may quickly heal with compassion and trust. Bound by love, bound in spirit, and by your lifes blood, I charge you to be always mindful of your vows.
Flesh to flesh, essence to essence, water of life mingle here and join you as one.
or
My flesh to your flesh, my essence to your essence, water of life mingle here and join us as one.
As the waters of the world are one, and the light of (y)our spirits burn with one flame, so is the essence of (y)our bodies joined here.
As in the most ancient of rites, the giving of the essence of the self, the sacrifice of something vital, let these drops of blood be both given and received to strengthen the bond between you.
May the Winds of communication blow ever between you; may the Fires of love sustain you; may the Waters of life heal and soothe you; and may the strength of the Earth bind and steady you throughout your time together.
Lord and Lady, in Your sight have these people promised themselves to one another, made vows before You and these people. Bless them in their new life together.
As the Air you breathe brings you life, may you always speak truthfully to one another. (For truly does each falsehood act as a little death).
As the Fire of love burns within you, may you always find a spark even in your anger. (For without Love, we are but weak shadows upon the stones).
As the Waters of life flow within your bodies, may your personal tides move in unison, and your emotions flow. (For Water contains life, sustains life, and without it we are but dry husks).
As the Earth grounds and steadies you, may you always remain strong for one another. (For strength adds to strength and builds upon itself).
All this do I charge you, for as long as Love shall last.
(Section in parentheses may be spoken by the HP/S or by the partners)
May the God and Goddess bless this union. May all who encounter it be blessed with love. May your lives be full and your hurts be few. So Mote It Be.
By the grace of the Lord and Lady has your love, through Their love, brought you together upon this day. May the Gods sustain and strengthen your bond, bless you and keep you, for as long as love shall last.
By the Winds that bring change, by the Fire of love, by the Seas of fortune and the strength of the Earth do I bless this union.
You have witnessed the promises made by _________ and _________ one to another, and the exchange of the symbols of their union. They are now connected to experience together whatever life may bring them.
You have made your vows, one to the other, before the Gods and this company, and exchanged tokens of your love. By the power of your love, I do pronounce you Husband and Wife. (Or whatever titles are wished).
I am happy/honoured to present to you, (names).
In the binding of yourselves have you created life anew. Step forth, therefore, into that new life, and rejoice in your love.
Through the powers of Love, and the blessing of the Lord and Lady (or God and Goddess) do I now pronounce you Handfast! Blessed Be!
Through the powers of Love between yourselves and this company, and the blessing of the Lord and Lady, do I now pronounce you Handfast! Blessed Be!
As the seed is to the soil, and the fuel is to the fire, so is the wand/blade to the chalice -- partners in growth and nourishment. May we, by the blessing of this food and drink, nourish all with our love.
Lord and Lady, bless these cakes, that they may nourish our bodies and feed our souls. (Share cakes)
Lord and Lady, bless this drink, that none may thirst within our sight. (Share drink)
Let us always remember to share all that we have with those who have nothing.
We give thanks to the planters of seeds, workers of the soil, and harvesters of grain for these cakes that we now share. Their efforts, through the grace of our Mother Earth, sustain us. May all be blessed by the sharing of their gifts.
We give thanks to the workers of vines, harvesters of fruits, and makers of wine for this drink that we now share. Their efforts, through the grace of our Mother Earth, sustain us. May all be blessed by the sharing of their gifts.
(For a non-alcoholic beverage, bless the appropriate ingredients and people involved).
May you never hunger. (Share cakes).
May you never thirst. (Share drink).
This article was written by Lorelei Greenwood