Deacon Greg over at Deacon’s Bench (see link Deacon Greg Kandra at lower right) posted yesterday a story of a wedding that occurred in his parish. A great story, perhaps familiar to a lot of deacons… perhaps a “mis-story” of what a wedding is all about.
He comments that “the crisis in Catholic marriage starts with bad Catholic weddings.”
I think he has a partial point.
I have always wondered why it is we demand almost a year to plan and finance a wedding ceremony whereas we are able to plan a funeral in a matter of a few days. With a funeral people come, are fed well, the liturgy is meaningful and family/love is celebrated in a special way.
I know it is impossible, but wouldn’t it be great if somehow there could be a prohibition against planning the wedding ceremony until one month before the day. Mind you, I said the wedding ceremony, not the marriage. We spend our entire lives preparing for our death. Catholic marriages need at least two years of preparation… I mean preparation of the relationship and a deepening of the understanding of the sacramentality of the relationship.
The wedding day itself can be planned in a few days.
I know, I know…… never will happen you are saying, but I ask, “Why not?” Any answers?
