I
love that the Catholic Church is unafraid to use the material world to increase
our worship experience. For my class on
the Sacraments I was asked to attend a wedding Eucharistic celebration. The service I chose was absolutely
beautiful, but I do have a weakness for liturgy in my native tongue (Spanish)
and of incorporation of cultural traditions into the liturgy.
The assembly was made up of both family and friends of the bride and
groom, a mix of Catholic, Protestants and people of other faiths. To make things a little easier for all to
follow the assembly was provided a program personalized for the sacramental
union of the two. Aside from the priest
there was a wedding coordinator assigned by the church which made sure that the
lectors, Eucharistic ministers and choir were all clear on their
assignments. Most of these ministries
were fulfilled by family and friends of the couple which added a personal touch
to the service.
The readings were
beautiful and selected ahead of time by the couple. However, what I really loved were the
cultural rituals like the coins, lazo, blessing of
bible and rosary and the offering of flowers to Mother Mary. I just love these symbols because I am a very
visual person and to visually see the union of two souls, two families, and two
lives as the sponsors place the lazo on the couple is quite beautiful. I think that’s always one of my favorite
parts when the couple are together kneeling facing the altar with a lazo
literally binding them together.
Also the exchange of the thirteen gold coins invites the
physical world to help express deep spiritual themes of providence and hope throughout the future together.
In Mexican weddings
it’s common to have sponsors buy a family bible and a rosary for the couple to
have as they begin a new life together and during the mass these two objects are blessed. At this particular service I
realized what a great witness it gives the community (especially those not
practicing their faith) because it’s stating that this couple wants to have the Word of God and payer actively in their home.
Lastly, the couple
together went to place a bouquet of flowers at Mary’s altar. Though some liturgist believe that this
shouldn’t be done unless the couple have a deep Marianne devotion, I
disagree. Father asked the couple to go
and place the flowers at the altar, but also to take a moment and pray
together asking her to come into their marriage. This small gesture accompanied with a good Marianne
hymn can be such a powerful witness for the assembly.
I think that’s a dominating reason I love my Catholic faith
so much because it has room to be inclusive of people from all over the world
and our Catholic Church is unafraid to use the material world to increase our
worship experience (smile).
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