Epiphany 2 ~ January 15, 2006 ~ A sermon preached by The Rev’d Erl G. Purnell at Old St. Andrew’s Church, Bloomfield, CT

1^st Samuel 3.1-10; Psalm 63.1-8; 1^st Corinthians 13.1-13; John 1.43-51

RaeJean and Nick: Welcome and congratulations. Thanks so much for inviting us to bless and celebrate your marriage today. We consider you very much a part of our parish family…no matter where you might find yourselves.

Many of us know the poet Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), author of The Prophet among many other writings. Often at weddings his poem “Marriage” is read. In fact, RaeJean and Nick like the sentiments expressed in this poem and so I want to read them aloud this morning.

Then Almitra spoke again and said,

 “And what of Marriage, master?”

And he answered saying:

“You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.

You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.

Aye, 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 let 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.”

These are such wise words of inspiration and guidance, maybe you should frame them and put them above the sink in your kitchen so when you’re doing the dishes night after night you’ll read them over and over and even remember them by heart.

Perhaps they should also go on you’re the dashboard of your car, or maybe behind the bench in the workshop, or on the bathroom mirror, or beside the TV, or as a screen saver on your computer, or next to the rocking chair in the dim mid-night light of the baby’s room, or tapped to a pew in your church, or on the bulletin board at work or the credit card pad at the super market or the washing machine, or in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, or maybe written in beautiful calligraphy on the wall of your bedroom opposite your bed.

How easy it is to forget to remember. How easy to forget to remember that “the winds of heaven do indeed dance between you.” The poet says, “Aye, you shall be together in the silent memory of God.” So be it! Amen to that!

I guess what I’m saying is: Don’t let your memories be too silent though. Replay this day. Tell each other the story of your love, how you met, what fun you’ve had, and the scrapes you’ve gotten into and out of. Live your story anew every day and then tell it all over again to each other as if you’ve only just met. Remember and recite Gibran’s poem, sing the song of your love out loud and often, dance in the joy of being together, drink from your individual cups and share the bread of Life every single day.

Marriage is a calling. You’ve been called into marriage by an awakening of your Soul and heart to the perfect melody of the other’s. We honor and support you. We wish you to BE the Light of Love, now and always.

         Amen.       

Copyright © 2006.  Erl G. Purnell
All rights reserved.