Celebration of Marriage Booklet with Readings
THE CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE
(Choose 1 of the following)
1] May the Lord send you help from his holy place and from Zion may he watch over you. May he grant you your heart’s desire and lend his aid to all your plans.
2] Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy all our days. May the goodness of the Lord be upon us, and give success to the work of our hands.
3] Lord, I will bless you day after day, and praise your name for ever; for you are kind to all, and compassionate to all your creatures
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you,
we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy one,
you alone are the lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
OPENING PRAYER (Choose one)
1] Father,
You have made the bond of marriage
a holy mystery,
a symbol of Christ’s love for his church.
Hear our prayers for N. and N.
With faith in you and in each other
they pledge their love today.
May their lives always bear witness
to the reality of that love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
2] Father, when you created mankind
you willed that man and wife should be one.
Bind N. and N.
In the loving union of marriage
and make their love fruitful
so that they may be living witnesses
to your divine love in the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.
3] Father,
hear our prayers for N. and N.,
who today are united in marriage before your altar.
Give them your blessing,
and strengthen their love for each other.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
4] Almighty God,
hear our prayers for N. and N.,
who have come here today
to be united in the sacrament of marriage.
Increase their faith in you and in each other, and through them bless your Church
[with Christian children]
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.
FIRST READING (Choose one)
1)
[Book of Genesis]
God said, ‘Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild beasts and all the reptiles that crawl upon the earth.’
God created man in the image of himself,
In the image of God he created him,
Male and female he created them.
God blessed them, saying to them, ‘be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and conquer it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, and all the living animals on the earth.’ God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good.
The Word of the Lord.
2)
[Book of Genesis]
The Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a helpmate.’ So from the soil the Lord God fashioned all the wild beasts and all the birds of heaven. These he brought to the man to see what he would call them; each one was to bear the name the man would give it. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of heaven and all the wild beasts. But no helpmate suitable for man was found for him. So the Lord God made the man fall into a deep sleep. And while he slept, he took one of his ribs and enclosed it in flesh. The Lord God built the rib he had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man. The man exclaimed:
‘This at last is bone from my bones, And flesh from my flesh!
This is to be called woman, For this was taken from man’
This is why a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself to his wife, and they become one body.
The Word of the Lord
3)
[Book of Genesis]
Abraham’s servant said to Laban, ‘I blessed the Lord, God of my master Abraham, who had so graciously led me to choose the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. Now tell me whether you are prepared to show kindness and goodness to my master; if not, say so, and I shall know what to do.’
Laban and Bethuel replied, ‘this is from the Lord; it is not in our power to say yes or not to you. Rebekah is there before you. Take her and go; and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has decreed.’ They called Rebekah and asked her, ‘Do you want to leave with this man?’ ‘I do’ she replied. Accordingly they let their sister Rebekah go, with her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. They blessed Rebekah in these words:
Sister of ours, increase
To thousand and tens of thousands!
May your descendants gain possession
Of the gates of their enemies!’
Rebekah and her servants stood up, mounted the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah and departed.
Isaac, who lived in the Negab, had meanwhile come into the wilderness of the well of Lahai Roi. Now Isaac went walking in the fields as evening fell, and looking up say camels approaching. And Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She jumped down from her camel, and asked the servant, ‘Who is that man walking through the fields to meet us?’ The servant replied, ‘That is my master’; then she took her veil and hid her face. The servant told Isaac the whole story and Isaac led Rebekah into his tent and made her his wife; and he loved her. And so Isaac was consoled for the loss of his mother.
The Word of the Lord.
4 )
A reading from the book of Tobit
Raguel kissed Tobias and wept. Then finding words, he said, ‘Blessings on you, child! You are the son of a noble father. How sad it is that someone so virtuous and full of good deeds should have gone blind!’ He fell on the neck of his kinsman Tobias and wept. And his wife Edna wept for him, and so did his daughter Sarah. Raguel killed a sheep from the flock, and gave Tobias and Raphael a warm-hearted welcome.
They washed and bathed and sat down to table. Then Tobias said to Raphael, ‘Brother Azarias, will you ask Raguel to give me my sister Sarah?’ Raguel overheard the words, and said to the young man, ‘Eat and drink, and make the most of your evening; no one else has the right to take my daughter Sarah – no one but you, my brother. In any case I, for my own part, an not at liberty to give her to anyone else, since you are her next of kin. However, my boy, I must be frank with you: I have tried to find a husband for her seven times among our kinsmen, and all of them have died the first evening, on going to her room. But for the present, my boy, eat and drink; the Lord will grant you his grace and peace.’ Tobias spoke out, ‘I will not hear of eating and drinking till you have come to a decision about me’. Raguel answered, ‘Very well. Since, as prescribed by the Book of Moses, she is given to you, heaven itself decrees she shall be yours. I shall therefore entrust your sister to you. From now on you are her brother and she is your sister. She is given to you from today forever. The Lord of heaven favour you tonight, my child, and grant you his grace and peace.’ Raguel called his daughter Sarah, took her by the hand and gave her to Tobias with these words, ‘I entrust her to you; the law and the ruling recorded in the Book of Moses assign her to you as your wife. Take her; take her home to your father’s house with a good conscience. The God of heaven grant you a good journey in peace.’ Then he turned to her mother and asked her to fetch him writing paper. He drew up the marriage contract, how he gave his daughter as bride to Tobias according to the ordinance in the Law of Moses.
After they began to eat and drink.
The Word of the Lord.
5)
A reading from the book of Tobit
On the evening of their marriage, Tobias said to Sarah, ‘You and I must pray and petition our Lord to win his grace and protection. ‘They began praying for protection, and this was how he began.
‘You are blessed, O God of our fathers;
blessed, too, is your name
forever and ever.
Let the heavens bless you
and all things you have made
for evermore.
It was you, who created Adam,
You who created Eve his wife
to be his help and support;
and from these two the human race was born.
It was you, who said,
“It is not good that the man should be alone;
let us make him a helpmate like himself.”
And so I do not take my sister
for any lustful motive;
I do it in singleness of heart.
Be kind enough to have pity on her and on me
and bring to old age together.’
And together they said, ‘Amen, Amen’.
The Word of the Lord
6)
A reading from the Song of Songs
I hear my Beloved
See how he comes
Leaping on the mountains,
Bounding over the hills.
My Beloved is like a gazelle,
Like a young stag.
See where he stands
Behind our wall.
He looking in at the window,
He peers through the lattice.
My beloved lifts up his voice,
He says to me,
‘Come then, my love,
my lovely one, come.
My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock.
In the coverts of the cliff,
Show me your face,
Let me hear your voice;
For your voice is sweet
And your face is beautiful.’
My beloved is mine and I am his.
Set me like a seal on your heart,
Like a seal on your arm.
For love is strong as death,
Jealousy relentless as Sheol.
The flash of it is a flash of fire.
The word of the Lord.
7)
A reading from the book of Wisdom
Happy the husband of a really good wife;
The number of his days will be doubled.
A perfect wife is the joy of her husband,
He will live out the years of his life in peace.
a good wife is the best of portions,
reserved for those who fear the Lord;
rich or poor, they will be glad of heart;
cheerful of face, whatever the season.
The grace of a wife will charm her husband,
Her accomplishments will make him stronger.
A silent wife is a gift from the Lord,
No price can be put on a well-trained character.
A modest wife is a boon twice over,
A chaste character cannot be weighed on scales.
Like the sun rising over the mountains of the Lord
It is the beauty of a good wife in a well-kept house.
The word of the Lord
8)
A reading from the prophet Jeremiah 31:31-34
See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when I will make
a new covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah,
but not a covenant like the one I made with their ancestors on the
day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
No, this is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel when
those days arrive – it is the Lord who speaks. Deep within them I
will plant my law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God
and they shall be my people. There will be no further need for neighbour
to try to teach neighbour or brother to say to brother, ‘Learn to know the Lord!’
No, they will all know me, the least no less than the greatest
It is the Lord who speaks.
The Word of the Lord
9)
A Reading from the book of the Apocalypse
I, John, seemed to hear the great sound of a huge crowd in heaven, singing, ‘Alleluia ! Victory and glory and power to our God!’
Then a voice came from the throne; it said, ‘Praise our God, you servants of his and all who, great or small, revere him’. And I seemed to hear the voices of a huge crowd, like the sound of the ocean or the great roar of thunder, answering, ‘Alleluia! The reign of the Lord our God Almighty has begun; let us be glad and joyful and give praise to God, because this is the time for the marriage of the Lamb. His bride is ready, and she has been able to dress herself in dazzling white linen, because her linen is made of the good deeds of the saints.’ The angel said, ‘Write this: Happy are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.’
The word of the Lord.
10)
A Reading from the Book of Wisdom 3: 1- 8 ; 14
There is an appointed time for everything,
And a time for every affair under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;
A time to embrace and a time to be far from embrace.
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sow;
A time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war, and a time of peace.
God has made everything beautiful in its own time.
The Word of the Lord
10)
A Reading from the Book of Wisdom 4: 9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
For if they fail, one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him who is alone when he fails and has not another to lift him up.
Again, if two lies together, they are warm but how can one be warm alone?
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
The Word of the Lord
SECOND READING (Choose one)
1)
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans
With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.
Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.
For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Word of the Lord.
2)
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 12:1-2. 9-18
Think of God’s mercy, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God. Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.
Do not let your love be pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them, and you should make hospitality your special care.
Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied. Never repay evil with evil but let everyone see that you are interested only in the highest ideals. Do all you can to live at peace with everyone.
The Word of the Lord
2) Shorter form
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans
Think of God’s mercy, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God. Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.
Do not let your love be pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep praying. If any of the saint’s are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.
The Word of the Lord.
3)
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.
The body is not meant for fornication; it is for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. God, who raised the Lord from the dead, will by his power raise us up too.
You know, surely, that your bodies are members making up the body of Christ. but anyone who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.
Keep away from fornication. All the other sins are committed outside the body; but to fornicate is to sin against your own body. Your body, you know, is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you since you received him from God. You are not your own property; you have been bought and paid for. That is why you should use your body for the glory of God.
The Word of the Lord.
4)
A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians
Be ambitious for the higher gifts. And I am going to show you a way that is better than any of them.
If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love, I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing. If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are, and knowing everything, and if I have faith in all its fullness, to move mountains, but without love, then I am nothing at all. If I give away all that I possess, piece by piece, and if I even let them take my body to burn it, but am without love, it will do me no good whatever.
Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.
Love does not come to an end.
The Word of the Lord.
5)
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians
Follow Christ by loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place. Give way to one another in obedience to Christ. Wives should regard their husbands as they regard the Lord, since, as Christ is head of the Church and serves the whole body, so is a husband the head of his wife; and as the Church submits to Christ, so should wives to their husbands, in everything. Husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her in water with a form of words, so that when he took her to himself she would be glorious, with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless. In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies; for a man to love his wife is for him to love himself. A man never hates his own body, but he feeds it and looks after it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church, because it is his body – and we are its living parts. For this reason, a man must leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one body. This mystery has many implications; but I am saying it applies to Christ and the Church. To sum up; you too, each one of you, must love his wife as he loves himself; and let every wife respect her husband.
The Word of the Lord.
5) Shorter form
A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians
Follow Christ by loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place. Husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her in water with a form of words, so that when he took her to himself she would be glorious with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless. In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies; for a man to love his wife is for him to love himself. A man never hates his own body but he feeds it and looks after it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church, because it is his body – and we are its living parts. For this reason, a man must leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one body. This mystery has many implications; but I am saying it applies to Christ and the Church.
The Word of the Lord.
6)
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians
You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
The word of the Lord.
7)
A reading from the first letter of St. Peter
Wives should be obedient to their husbands. Then, if there are some husbands who have not yet obeyed the word, they may find themselves won over, without a word spoken, by the way their wives behave, when they see how faithful and conscientious they are. Do not dress up for show; doing up your hair, wearing gold bracelets and fine clothes; all this should be inside, in a person’s heart, imperishable: the ornament of a sweet and gentle disposition – this is what is precious in the sight of God. That was how the holy women of the past dressed themselves attractively – they hoped in God and were tender and obedient to their husbands; like Sarah, who was obedient to Abraham, and called him her lord. You are now her children, as long as you live good lives and do not give way to fear or worry.
In the same way, husbands must always treat their wives with consideration in their life together, respecting a woman as one who though she may be the weaker partner, is equally an heir to the life of grace. This will stop anything from coming in the way of your prayers.
Finally: you should all agree among yourselves and be sympathetic; love the brothers, have compassion and be self-effacing. Never pay back one wrong with another one; instead; pay back with a blessing. That is what you are called to do, so that you inherit a blessing yourself.
The Word of the Lord.
8)
A Reading from the first letter of St. John
My Children,
our live is not to be just words or mere talk,
but something real and active;
only by this can we be certain
that we are children of the truth
and be able to quieten our conscience in his presence,
whatever accusations it may raise against us,
because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything.
My dear people,
If we cannot be condemned by our own conscience,
we need not be afraid in God’s presence,
and whatever we ask him,
we shall receive,
because we keep his commandments
and live the kind of life he wants.
His commandments are these: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ
and that we love one another
as he told us to.
Whoever keeps his commandments
lives in God and God lives in him.
We know that he lives in us
by the Spirit that he has given us.
The word of the Lord.
9)
A Reading from the first letter of St. John
My dear people,
let us love one another
since love comes from God
and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Anyone who fails to love can never have known God
because God is love.
God’s love for us was revealed
when God sent into the world his only Son
so that we could have life through him;
this is the love I mean:
not our love for God,
but God’s love for us when he sent his Son
to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.
My dear people, since
God has loved us so much,
we too should love one another.
No one has ever seen God;
but as long as we love one another
God will live in us
and his love will be complete in us.
The Word of the Lord.
GOSPEL (Choose one)
1)
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia !
God is love;
Let us love one another as God has loved us. Alleluia!
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
‘How happy are the poor in Spirit;
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle;
They shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy they who mourn:
They shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
They shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful:
They shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart:
They shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers:
They shall be called Sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward will be great in heaven.
The Gospel of the Lord.
2)
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
As long as we love one another God will live in us,
And his love will be complete in us. Alleluia!
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘ You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.
‘ You are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
3)
Gospel Acclamation
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘ It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord”, who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.
“Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man
who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against
that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell: and what a fall it had.”
Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and his teaching made a deep impression on the people because he taught them with authority, and not like their own scribes.
The Gospel of the Lord
3) Shorter form
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord”, who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. “Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock.
The Gospel of the Lord
4)
Gospel Acclamation
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Everyone who loves
Is begotten by God
And is known by God, Alleluia!
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and to test him they said, ‘Is it against the law for a man to divorce his wife on any pretext whatever?’ He answered, ‘Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave his father and cling to his wife, and the two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’
The Gospel of the Lord
5)
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, Alleluia!
God is love; let us love one another
As God has loved us. Alleluia!
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew,
A lawyer, to disconcert Jesus, put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the law?” Jesus said, ‘ You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
6)
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, Alleluia
Everyone who loves
Is begotten by God
And is known by God. Alleluia!
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark,
Jesus said, ‘From the beginning of creation God made them male and female. This is why a man must leave father and mother, and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
7)
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
As long as we love one another
God will live in us,
And his love will be complete in us. Alleluia!
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John,
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the wedding was all finished, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ Jesus said, ‘Woman why turn to me? My hour has ;not come het.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water,’ and they filled them to the brim. ‘Draw some out now,’ he told them, ‘and take it to the steward.’ They did this; the steward tasted the water and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from – only the servants who had drawn the water knew – the steward called the bridegroom and said, ‘People generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had plenty to drink, but you have kept the best wine till now.’
This was the first of many signs given by Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be seen, and his disciples believed in him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
8)
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, Alleluia
Anyone who lives in love
Lives in God
And God lives in him. Alleluia.
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘As the Father has loved me,
So I have loved you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments
You will remain in my love,
Just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
I have told you this
So that my own joy may be in you
And your joy be complete.
This is my commandment:
Love one another,
As I loved you’.
The Gospel of the Lord.
THE RITE OF MARRIAGE (Choose one address)
ADDRESS: 1
Dear children of God, you have come to this church so that the Lord may seal your love in the presence of the priest and this community.
Christian marriage is a sacred union which enriches natural love. It binds those who enter it to be faithful to each other for ever; it creates between them a bond that endures for live and cannot be broken; it demands that they love and honour each other, (that they accept from God the children he may give them, and bring them up in his love). To help them in their marriage the husband and wife receive the like-long grace of the sacrament.
Is this your understanding of marriage?
Both: It is
ADDRESS: 2
Dear children of God, you have come to this church so that the Lord may seal your love in the presence of the priest and this community. Christ blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism; now, by a special sacrament, he strengthens you to fulfil the duties of your married life.
P N. and N. you are about to celebrate this sacrament.
Have you come here of your own free will and choice and without . . . . compulsion to marry each other?
Both: We have.
P Will you love and honour each other in marriage all the days of your life?
Both : We will.
The following question may be omitted if, for example, the couple are advanced in years.
P Are you willing to accept with love the children God may send you and bring them up in accordance with the law of Christ and his Church?
Both: We are.
ADDRESS: 3
Dear children of God,
You have come today to pledge your love before God and before the Church here present in the person of the priest, your families and friends.
In becoming husband and wife you give yourselves to each other for life. You promise to be true and faithful, to support and cherish each other until death, so that your years together will be the living out in love of the pledge you now make. May your love for each other reflect the enduring love of Christ for his Church. As you face the future together, keep in mind that the Sacrament of marriage unites you with Christ, and brings you, through the years, the grace and blessing of god our Father. Marriage is from God: he alone can give you the happiness which goes beyond human expectation, and which grows deeper through the difficulties and struggles of live.
Put your trust in god as you set out together in life. Make your home a centre of Christian family life. (In this you will bequeath to your children a heritage more lasting than temporal wealth). The Christian home makes Christ and his Church present in the world of everyday things. May all who enter your home find there the presence of the Lord; for he has said: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
P Now, as you are about to exchange your marriage vows the Church wishes to be assured that you appreciate the meaning of what you do, and so I ask you: Have you come here of your own free will and choice to marry each other?
Both: We have
P Will you love and honour each other in marriage all the days of your life?
Both: We will
P Are you willing to accept with love the children God may send you, and bring them up in accordance with the law of Christ, and his Church?
Both: We are
DECLARATION OF CONSENT (Choose one)
FIRST FORM
P I invite you then to declare before God and his Church your consent to become husband and wife.
Bridegroom: N./ do you consent to be my wife?
Bride: I do. Do you, N., consent to be my husband?
Lord, bless N. and N. and consecrate their married life.
May this ring (these rings) be a symbol of their faith in each other,
and a reminder of their love.
Through Christ our Lord
I do.
Bridegroom: I take you as my wife and I give myself to you as your husband
Bride: I take you as my husband and I give myself to you as your wife.
They then join hands and say together:
To love each other truly
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
Till death do us part. (or all the days of our life.)
P What God joins together
Man must not separate.
May the Lord confirm the consent hat you have given
and enrich you with his blessings.
SECOND FORM
P I invite you then to declare before God and his Church your consent to become husband wife,
They join hands.
Bridegroom I, N., take you, N., as my wife,
For better, for worse,,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
Till death do us part.
( or all the days of our life.)
Bride: I, N., take you, N., as my wife,
For better, for worse,,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
Till death do us part.
( or all the days of our life.)
When the bride and bridegroom have given their consent the priest says:
P What God joins together
Man must not separate.
May the Lord confirm the consent that you have given
and enrich you with his blessings.
THIRD FORM
P I invite you then to declare before God and his Church
your consent to become husband wife,
They join hands; Priest then asks the bridegroom:
P N., do you take N. as your wife,
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
Till death do you part?
(or all the days of your life?)
Bridegroom: I do.
The priest then asks the bride:
N., do you take N. as your husband
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
Till death do you part?
(or all the days of your life?)
Bride: I do.
P What God joins together
Man must not separate.
May the Lord confirm the consent that you have given
and enrich you with his blessings.
FOURTH FORM
P I invite you then to declare before God and his Church
your consent to become husband wife,
Bridegroom: N./ do you consent to be my wife?
Bride: I do. Do you, N., consent to be my husband?
Bridegroom: I do.
Bridegroom: I take you as my wife and i give myself to you as your husband
Bride: I take you as my husband and i give myself to you as your wife.
They join hands and say together;
We take each other as husband and wife
And promise to love each other truly
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
Till death do you part?
(or all the days of your life?)
P
The Lord has joined you together.
May he fulfil his blessing in you;
may he keep you in his love
BLESSING OF RINGS
Lord, bless N. and N. and consecrate their married life.
May this ring (these rings) be a symbol of their faith in each other,
and a reminder of their love.
Through Christ our Lord.
Both: Amen.
OR
Lord, bless these rings.
Grant that those who wear them
May always be faithful to each other.
May they do your will
And live in peach with you in mutual love.
Through Christ our Lord.
Both: Amen
EXCHANGE OF COIN
We give this gift to each other as a token of all we possess
And a sign of all we plan to share together in our giving and receiving
PRAYER OF NEWLY MARRIED COUPLE
The couple are recommended to say together the following or similar prayer:
We thank you, Lord,
And we praise you
For bringing us
To this happy day.
You have given us to each other.
Now, together, we give ourselves to you.
We ask you, Lord:
Make us one in our love;
Keep us one in your peace.
Protect our marriage.
Bless our home.
Make us gentle.
Keep us faithful.
And when life is over
Unite us again
Where parting is no more
In the kingdom of your love.
There we will praise you
In the happiness and peace
Of our eternal home.
Amen.
Prayers of The Faithful
1] We pray for ___ and ____
May the Lord who has brought them to this happy day
keep them strong in love and togetherness.
Lord hear us. C: Lord graciously hear us.
2] We pray for your parents, family, friends
and all who have helped and continue to support you
now as husband and wife
Lord hear us. C: Lord graciously hear us.
3] With so much sadness in the world today
that out of our own goodness and led by the Lord Jesus,
we might try to create something better for the children of tomorrow.
Lord hear us. C: Lord graciously hear us.
4] We pray for deceased family and friends too
from a place in Heaven above
may they and God watch over, guide and protect us.
Lord hear us. C: Lord graciously hear us.
5] We pray for all couples here today
that the Lord may bless you in love and
in the gentleness you show to each other
and where all of that may bring you great joy.
Lord hear us. C: Lord graciously hear us.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
The bride and bridegroom may bring the bread and wine to the altar.
PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS (Choose one)
1
Lord, accept our offering for this newly married couple, N. and N., whom you have united in marriage. We ask this through Christ our Lord. C. Amen
2
Lord, accept the gifts we offer you on this happy day. In your fatherly love watch over and protect N. and N., whom you have united in marriage. We ask this through Christ our Lord. C. Amen
3
Lord, hear our prayers and accept the gifts we offer for N. and N., today you have made them on in the sacrament of marriage. May the mystery of Christ’s unselfish love, which we celebrate in this Eucharist, increase their love for you and for each other. We ask this through Christ our Lord. C. Amen
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER (Choose one)
PREFACE
FORM 1
Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks. By this sacrament your grace unites man and woman in an unbreakable bond of love and peace. You have designed the chaste love of husband and wife for the increase both of the human family and of your own family born in baptism. You are the loving Father of the world of nature; you are the loving Father of the new creation of grace. In Christian marriage you bring together the two orders of creation; nature’s gift of children enriches the world and your grace enriches also your Church. Through Christ the choirs of angels and all the saints praise and worship your glory.
May our voices blend with theirs as we join in their unending hymn:
FORM 2 Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him you entered into a new covenant with your people. You restored man to grace in the saving mystery of redemption. You gave him a share in the divine life through his union with Christ. You made him an heir of Christ’s eternal glory. This outpouring of love in the new covenant of grace that seals the love of husband and wife and reflects your divine plan of love. And so, with the angels and all the saints in heaven, we proclaim your glory and join in their unending hymn of praise:
FORM 3 Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks. You created man in love to share your divine life. We see his high destiny in the love of husband and wife, which bears the imprint of your own divine love. Love is man’s origin, love is his constant calling, love is his fulfilment in heaven. The love of man and woman is made holy in the sacrament of marriage, and becomes the mirror of your everlasting love. Through Christ the choirs of angels and all the saints praise and worship your glory. May our voices blend with theirs as we join in their unending hymn:
COMMUNION RITE
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
NUPTIAL BLESSING (Choose one)
FORM 1 Let us ask God to bless N. and N., now married in Christ, and unite them in his love (through the sacrament of his body and blood). Silent prayer.
God, our Father, creator of the universe, you made man and woman in your own likeness, and blessed their union. We humbly pray to you for this bridegroom and bride, today united in the sacrament of marriage. May your blessing come upon them. May they find happiness in their love for each other, (be blessed in their children,) and enrich the life of the Church. May they praise you in their days of happiness and turn to you in times of sorrow. May they know the joy of your help in their work and the strength of your presence in their need. May they worship you with the Church and be your witness in the world. May old age come to them in the company of their friends, and may they reach at last the kingdom of heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
FORM 2 Let us ask God to bless N. and N., now married in Christ, and unite them in hi love (through the sacrament of his body and blood).
Silent prayer.
Father, you created the universe and made man and woman in your own likeness. You gave woman as companion to man so that they should no longer be two, but one flesh, teaching us that those you have so united may never be separated. Father, you have sanctified marriage in a mystery so holy that it is a sign of the union of Christ and his Church. Look with love upon N., as she asks your blessing. May she live in peace with you and follow the example of those women whose lives are praised in the scriptures. May N. place his trust in her and see her as his companion. May he always honour her and love her as Christ loves the Church. Father, keep this husband and wife strong in faith and true to your commandments. May they be faithful to each other, examples of Christian living, and witnesses of Christ. (Bless them with children and help them to be good parents.) And, after a long and happy life together, may they enjoy the company of your saints in heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Nuptial Blessing continued:
FORM 3 Let us pray to the Lord for N. and N., who as they begin their married life come to God’s altar to deepen their love (by sharing in the body and blood of Christ.)
Silent prayer.
Father, you created man and woman in your own image and united them in body and heart so that they might fulfil your plan for the world. To reveal your loving design, you made the union of man and wife a sign of the covenant between you and your people; through the sacrament of marriage you perfect this union and make it now a sign of Christ’s love for his bride the Church. Lord, bless this husband and wife and protect them. Grant that as they live this sacrament they may learn to share with each other the gifts of your love. May they become one in heart and mind as witnesses to your presence in their marriage. (Bless them with children who will be formed by the gospel and have a plan in your family in heaven.) may N. be a good wife (and mother), caring for her home, faithful to her husband, generous and kind. May N. be a good husband (and devoted father), faithful to his wife, and a careful provider for his household. Father, grant that, as they now come as man and wife to your altar, they may one day share your feast in heaven.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
FORM 4 We call God our Father. Let each of us now ask him, in silence, to bless these his children as they begin their married life.
Silent prayer.
Father, from you every family in heaven and earth takes its name. You made us. You made all that exists. You made man and woman like yourself in their power to know and love. You call them to share life with each other, saying “It is not good for man to be alone”. (You bless them with children to give new life to your people, telling them: “Increase and multiply, and fill the earth.”) We call to mind the fruitful companionship of Abraham, our father in faith and his wife Sarah. We remember how your guiding hand brought Rebecca and Isaac together, and how through the lives of Jacob and Rachel you prepared the way for the kingdom. Father, you take delight in the love of husband and wife, that love which hopes and shares, heals and forgives. We ask you to bless N. and N. as they set out on their new life. Fill their hearts with your holy Spirit, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of understanding, joy, fortitude and peace. Strengthen them to do your will, and in the trials of life to bear the cross with Christ. May they praise you during the bright days, and call on you in times of trouble. (May their children bring them your blessing, and give glory to your name). let their love be strong as death, a fire that floods cannot drown, a jewel beyond all price. May their life together give witness to their faith in Christ. May they see long and happy days, and be united forever in the kingdom of your glory. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Choose one)
1] Christ loves his Church, and he sacrificed himself for her so that she could become like a holy and untouched bride.
2] I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you, says the Lord.
3] I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall be ever on my lips. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord; blessed is he who hopes in God
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION (Choose one)
1] Lord, in your love you have given us this Eucharist to unite us with one another and with you. As you have made N. and N. one in this sacrament of marriage (and in the sharing of the one bread and the one cup), so now make them on in love for each other. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
2] Lord, we who have shared the food of your table pray for our friends N. and N., whom you have joined together in marriage. Keep them close to you always. May their love for each other proclaim to all the world their faith in you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
3] Almighty God, may the sacrifice we have offered and the Eucharist we have shared strengthen the love of N. and N., and give us all your fatherly aid. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
CONCLUDING RITE
1] May God, the eternal Father, keep you steadfast in your love. Amen.
May you have children to bless you, friends to console you, and my you live in peace with all men. Amen.
May you bear witness among men to the love of God. May the suffering and the poor find you generous and welcome you one day into our Father’s kingdom. Amen.
May the peace of Christ ever dwell in your home. May the angels of God protect it, and may the holy family of Nazareth be its model and inspiration. Amen.