I expected certain elements to be there, but I never expected such a moving and unforgettable address by Reverend Dr. Richard Chartres, Bishop of London. I wanted to remember certain things he said, and I wanted to share them with you as well, including the scripture read by Kate's brother, James Middleton.
James read from Romans 12:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-- what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
And these are the quotes which moved me from the Royal Wedding Address:
"Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be: their deepest and their truest selves.
In a sense, every wedding is a royal wedding...
And in the Spirit of this generous God, husband and wife are to give themselves to each other. And spiritual life grows as love finds its center beyond ourselves. Faithful and committed relationships offer a door into the mystery of spiritual life in which we discover this: the more we give of self, the richer we become in soul. The more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed.
In marriage we are seeking to bring one another into fuller life. It is, of course, very hard to wean ourselves away from self-centeredness. And people can dream of doing such a thing, but that the hope should be fulfilled, it is necessary that a solemn decision is made: that whatever the difficulties, we are committed to the way of generous love.
Marriage should transform as husband and wife make one another their work of art. It is possible to transform, so long as we don’t harbor ambitions to reform our partners. There must be no coercion if the Spirit is to flow. Each must give the other space and freedom. Chaucer, the London poet, sums it up in a pithy phrase: “When mastery cometh, the god of love, anon, beateth his wings and farewell, he is gone.”
As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the west, there's been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This is to load our partner with too great a burden. We're all incomplete. We all need the love which is secure rather than oppressive. We need mutual forgiveness in order to thrive. But as we move toward our partner in love, following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is quickened within us and can increasingly fill our lives with light."Words to remember, words to live by.
