A Wedding Homily

A Wedding Homily About Eden
One of my favorite parts of the wedding ceremony is the mention of the Creation Story in Genesis. The exact words that are referenced read 'It is for this reason that a man will go out from his mother and father and cling to his wife'....beautiful.

You know the Creation Story, Eden, is relevant to everything that came later in the Bible. The prophets used the image of the perfect world, as a judgment on the Israelites actions, and as a call to where they were supposed to be as a people. Every image of the Kingdom of God has some element of Eden within it. I think a wedding is sort of like that.

Jason and Carrie, this is your Eden, a perfected image of what your marriage is supposed to be. And if you use it right, it can be relevant to everything that comes afterwards. In this place, at this time, each of you have your assigned roles, knowing exactly which parts you are supposed to play and what jobs you have. You are supporting one another in those roles, doing all you can to help the other person fulfill their specific duties. You have, I hope, decided not to sweat the small stuff, aware that not everything today will go perfectly, and to forgive any small mistakes that may be made, especially by your minister during the service (joke). You have invited your friends and family to the table and given them a role to play as well. And most importantly, you have invited God in, you've given HIM a place and are grounding yourselves in the highest of values.

And my message to you today Jason and Carrie is this: as you move forward and face times that will not always be this perfect, use this day. Use it as a call to where you are supposed to be, and a judgment on wherever you are at, never being satisfied with 'just good enough'. Let it remind you to: not sweat the small stuff, to define your roles precisely, to support each other in whatever jobs you may face, to give your friends and family a seat at the table of your lives, and to remember God always. And Jason and Carrie if you can do that, if you can live more days closer to today than you live days farther away, then your entire lives together will be a revelation of the Kingdom of God for the rest of us. I have every confidence that it will be. Amen.