May 20, 2017
It is an honor for me to officiate at this
service today. Both Jessica and John are
two people I consider close and very dear friends. I am very grateful for their
friendship in my life. And nothing gives
me more delight than to see close and dear friends celebrate the love they have
for each other.
Today is a glorious day. It really is. But, as most of us know, this day—this
wonderful, beautiful day—has not come easily for John and Jessica. It has been
a sometimes long, hard and painful road for both of them. There has been much
pain in their past. There has been much
heartache. There is been loss. There have been dark clouds and even darker
nights. It has been, at times, a very
hard journey in their past for both of them.
They come here today with scars and wounds, as
we all do. They will be quick to tell you, no doubt, that we do not make it through
this life without wounds and scars. Which
only makes this day even more wonderful, even more glorious.
What we celebrate today is love, yes. The love
between Jessica and John and the love we have for them.
But we celebrate so much more today as well. We
celebrate the fact that this marriage is a shining example of resurrection, of
the dawn that comes after the darkest night.
This marriage is one of the best examples of
grace. Now, my definition of grace is this: it is a gift from God we receive
that we did not ask for. It is a gift we cannot give ourselves. We cannot
control grace. We cannot manipulate it or make it do what we want it to do.
Grace happens. God grants grace in its own
time. In its own place. And we must simply be open to it, and be thankful for
it, and just… let it happen in our lives. And be very, very thankful to God
when it does.
Jessica. John. What we celebrate today is
truly a grace. I am so thankful for this
grace you have been given by God. I mean, look at this: You have known each
other for thirty years? Thirty years! And here you are! Today! On this glorious
day! It’s amazing! And if we are not amazed by this amazing coming-together of
Jessica and John after all this time, we are just not paying attention.
Yes, you’ve been through a lot in your lives. But,
look! Here you are today! And it’s all good. And it’s all beautiful.
You both deserve today. You both deserve this
love, this surrounding by people who love you, this grace in your life. You
deserve the very best in your lives.
That is what we celebrate today. That is what
we give thanks for today.
Now, mind you, I’m not promising that the
future is going to be hunky dory and sweet all the time. You both know that it
isn’t always going to be like that. I’m
not promising that all the dark clouds have passed away for good.
But right now, right here, none of that
matters. There are no dark clouds here. There are only blue skies and a future
filled with hope and potential joy.
I am so happy, John and Jessica, for this day.
I am so thankful to God that you have found each other again. I am so happy for
you and for all that you have and will have. It really is wonderful!
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