In a historic and pivotal year for our Nation, my thoughts run daily from macrocosm to microcosm.   With the backdrop of historic elections and tectonic changes in the world economy, my family has undergone many changes as well.   One child is applying to colleges, and our youngest will soon be the only child in the house.   By far the highlight of the year was the marriage of our oldest son to his high school sweetheart.   My uncle, who is a Catholic priest, gave the invocation at the wedding.   His words aptly encapsulated our family’s feelings and hopes for the young couple as they launch their lives together.   Here are my uncle’s words:

Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.

O Gracious and loving God – reach down and caress our Bride and Groom today. Strengthen them to be faithful to the vows they will pronounce. Bless them as they begin their life together with each other and with you.

In a world of chaos – let them bring order.
In a world of selfishness – let them have a loving concern for each other.
In a world of instant results – let them be ready for the long haul.
May they celebrate 25 and 50 years of marriage.
In a world of war – let them be persons of peace.
In a world if individualism – let them share their love with each other and with their children.
In a world that stresses wealth – let them share their resources and serve the needy and the poor.
In a world of selfishness – let them paint a portrait of goodness and beauty and love, remembering that each day, the greatest in the Kingdom of God is the one who serves the needs of all.   

O Lord, may the lives of their parents be a foundation of their life together.   May they build their life together on the foundation of faith, love, and service given to them by their parents.   O Lord, listen to our prayer today.   May they be especially blessed by You today.   May they live life united with you and with each other.   May they live to see their children’s children.   May they receive from you the rewards of a good life and live with You for all eternity.   Amen.

Experiencing something on a deep emotional level leads me to reflect on what that event says about God, the world, and myself.   I ask my clients to reflect in this way as part of their psychotherapy process.   As I reflect on my Uncle’s words, and experience the deep joy of watching a wonderful couple get married, I sense the Trinity being lived out in this new family unit, comprised of two human beings and God working in harmony to become the chord of three strands that is not easily broken..   I can expect that this new bride and groom will give to each other in Christlike sacrifice over the years, in ways that their friends and families, as good as they are, could never provide.   This process models the world’s need for a Savior.   My own sense of needing a Savior is renewed when I watch a young couple get married, along with my deep assurance of God’s provision for that need and for every other need.   Couples are at the heart of my vocational calling, and this is confirmed by experiencing God more deeply as a result of working with couples.

From my home to yours, all the best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a New Year full of satisfying work and a deeper faith.