In this sacred and joyful moment we
call upon the highest in J and Michelle, the divine
presence that always knows exactly what you need, that gives and asks
the best of them, that brought them to love and has chosen them for
the sweet commitment of marriage. For them we ask every blessing of
this moment: a confirmation of the wisdom of their choice; great
happiness on the path that is set before them; discretion, kindness,
and care as they walk upon it; strength to live out their purpose;
grace and peace through each step of their journey; and beloved
friends to support them. May they be filled with joy; may they keep
their promises with ease; may love abide with them always.
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Michelle and J, your
marriage is intended to join you for life in a relationship so
intimate and personal that it has the potential of changing your
whole way of being together. It offers you the promise of a love
which is true and mature. To attain this love you will have to commit
yourselves to each other gladly and without reservation for the sake
of an deeper and richer life together. May God be your guide and your
helper.
Michelle, will you love J
with integrity and gentleness,
speaking openly and listening patiently?
Will you risk being honest and
vulnerable, trusting in his love for you?
Will you protect, comfort and
challenge him with courage,
cherishing the Holy in him?
J, will you love Michelle
with integrity and gentleness,
speaking openly and listening patiently?
Will you risk being honest and
vulnerable, trusting in her love for you?
Will you protect, comfort and
challenge her gently,
cherishing the Holy in her?
These are the hands of your best
friend, young and strong and vibrant with love; that are holding
yours on your wedding day, as he promises to love you all the days of
his life.
These are the hands that will work
along side yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and
cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams.
These are the hands that will
passionately love you & cherish you through the years for a
lifetime of happiness.
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 comfort
you in illness and hold you when fear or grief wracks your mind.
Now, because you
have chosen one another, honoured each other with the precious gift
of your rings, and pledged to love each other for all the days of
your lives, it gives me great joy to pronounce you husband and wife.
You may seal your covenant with a
kiss.
Josh and Michelle, may your home be a
place of happiness for all who enter it; a place where the old and
the young are renewed in each other's company, a place for growing
and a place for sharing, a place for music and a place for laughter,
a place for prayer and a place for love.
May those who are nearest to you be
constantly enriched by the beauty and bounty of your love for one
another, may your work be a joy of your life that serves the world,
and may your days be good and long upon this earth. Amen
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