Marriage and Memorial Day

 

(A local artist painted this image from our reception napkins as a backdrop for our reception table.  Many years later, my husband commissioned a smaller image of it to hang in our home.  We still have it.)

A thousand years ago (okay, almost 41), my husband and I got married.  The first thing I knew we had to do was to find a church and a hall.  We got engaged in the fall, so trying to plan a May wedding had its challenges.

We decided to go with May 29th because both the church and hall were available.  We hesitated a little because we knew a lot of people go out of town for Memorial weekend, but we figured, hey, we'd probably have a few people who cared enough for us who would celebrate with us.  And that was true.  It was a beautiful celebration, as weddings tend to be, and yes, people came.  

But now, looking back, I often wish we hadn't planned it on a holiday weekend.  I am adamant that the one thing I will not push to another day, is the celebration of our marriage.  Whatever we do, whether we stay home, go out for the evening, or away for the weekend, we celebrate the day we got married.

Unfortunately, travel can be crazy, if you are driving on Memorial Day.  Typically it rains, too.  It's not a great time to be a tourist either.  So, my advice to anyone getting engaged?  Try to stay away from a holiday for your wedding day.  But that's not really my point here. 

Marriage is more important than ever today.  It is a public witness that gives testimony to the beautiful union of two people, graced by God.  Our marriage is not an anomaly.  We didn't just get lucky that we married someone we can get along with.  No, our sacramental marriage has been strengthened and supported by God, because he has been with us from the start.  He brought us together.  We invited him in.  We opened our home and our hearts to him.

Each of us has grown differently over the years, but we've never grown apart.  We both took seriously the responsibility of helping the other reach heaven.  This isn't a pie in the sky ideal, but a very real, tangible part of married life.  When you treat each other with dignity, and build up rather than tear down, the blessings of married life are evident and fruitful.

Let us pray for everyone who is planning/beginning their married life.  

Let us pray for a renewal of marriage so the unity, commitment and deep love of marriage can once again be esteemed. 

Marriage moves a couple beyond a mere living arrangement.  It dares to stand up in the face of our culture and speak the truth that God has a plan for a man and a woman, which includes sharing in his ability to bring new life into this world.  You could even say that before children, a marriage is the first new life created in, for and by Christ, when two become one.

Let us pray for those who are struggling in their marriage. 
Those who are doubting. 
Those who are unhappy.
Those who have gone (or are going) through the pain of divorce.

Let us thank God for holy, happy marriages.  

Let us pray for those who are single and desiring marriage, that God will hear and answer their plea.

Let us pray for those who are joyfully single and thank God for their special state of life.

And most especially, let us pray for the members of our armed forces on this day; for those who through courage and sacrifice gave of their lives for our country, for you and for me.  May God bless their souls. Let us not forget their families who shared in their sacrifice. 

In honor of our 41st wedding anniversary, I invite you to join me in all of these prayers as I pray that each of you has a safe and memorable holiday.

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.com