Epithalamion

They entered, each with her lantern ablaze, showing themselves wise and lighting the path to the place where he awaited his beloved.

Her face veiled, she came toward him, willingly, in the surrender of a bride. And as she approached, he played his guitar and sang:

Well the prophecy’s not simple, though all of it’s been said and done
Still the revelation waits to form itself within our love
And this we know, though we are yet unknown:

In our minds and in our flesh we ache
For the coming dawn, for the light of day
And the light will break us and faith will claim our lives
For when the two are one, both of them must die
For when the two are one, both are brought to light

Still the darkness will linger all through the long and lonely night
So you can play the church, and I’ll play an imperfect Christ
And though I’m frail, I’ll try my best to love you here

For there are mysteries much deeper than the skin
And to uncover them, we must humbly enter in
By the heart of love, where God and man are one
I pray these vows we make reveal the Son to us
Oh! in these vows, may love be born in us

Oh, be my apocalypse, know me in this gentler kiss
For all love is a knowing, but to be known we all must end
And I would learn you here
And I would hold you dear

And as we see ourselves by each other’s love
May we come to know the perfect Lamb of God
And on that final day when we all see the Lord
Well, I won’t be your husband anymore
And Christ will be your love forevermore
And Christ will be your love forevermore
And Christ will be our love forevermore

So let us climb the hill together
So let us climb the hill together
Let us climb the hill
Let us climb the hill

Luke wrote this song and sang it as Sarah processed down the aisle last Friday evening. Every element of the ceremony--from the bridesmaids' lanterns, to the charge, the vows they wrote, his washing of her feet, the scriptures read, the prayers, the sharing of communion, and the lifting of our voices in congregational worship--pointed to Christ's promised return for His Bride.

As the officiant and the groom's father, George compared his delight over Sarah to God's complete pleasure over the Bride His Son will one day present to Him. At the end of the ceremony, George read these verses from 2 Corinthians 3:16-18:

But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 
Now the Lord is the Spirit,
        and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
        there is freedom.
And we all, with unveiled face,
        beholding the glory of the Lord,
        are being transformed into the same image
        from one degree of glory to another.
For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Then he pronounced them husband and wife, and Luke lifted her veil to kiss her. So beautiful. I will never think of that scripture the same way again.

By the way, "Epithalamion" (Greek: Επιθαλμιου) is the name of the song. It means "marriage song" or, literally, "at the wedding chamber." Oh, and the last stanza? Luke borrowed those words from another song--the one George sang to me right before my father placed my arm in his, almost thirty-one years ago.

Rejoice with me, my friends. My heart is so very full.

Jeanne Damoff apologizes for neglecting to post last Thursday. She was ever-so-slightly distracted with weddingish things. About the photos: the one of Luke singing was taken during the rehearsal. The rest were taken before or during the ceremony. More pictures here!

Comments

[Michelle Pendergrass]

Jeanne how do you stand it? How do you stand the beauty of these children of yours? You and George are amazing parents. (and I know who rightfully gets the credit) But you and George get little praise from me, right here. Right now.

I pray Phil and I do as good of a job raising Zane as you have your family.

[Miz Melly]

Wow!.... just ... WOW!

[Mary DeMuth]

Stunning!!!!!!! No other words.

[katdish]

Oh, oh...AMAZING!!!

That must have been such a beautiful wedding. Thank you for sharing it with us. Love you, Jeanne!

[Nicole]

Lovely is the bride, the bride of Christ, and the Groom. Love forevermore. Congratulations on such a beautiful family and the new ingrafting.

[Amy Sorrells]

Rejoicing with you! Breathtaking!

[Margo Carmichael]

Ohh! So pretty, it gave me chlls.

[Barbara H.]

I have never seen the bridesmaids carrying lanterns, but how appropriate. What a beautiful and thoroughly Scriptural wedding. What a beautiful song. I don't know how anyone survived with dry eyes.

Congratulations to you all!

[deb@talkatthetable]

I can't speak through my tears.

unbelievable.

and a big hug to the beaming and beautiful MIL.

love to you

[Sherri]

What a witness to all there and through sharing it here. So beautiful, so touching and thought provoking. Thank you so much for sharing your 'fullness'. What an inspiration and I have never left here without a blessing.

[Madison Richards]

Beautiful. Purposeful. Focused. All the attention where it belongs...

Exceptional!! Rejoicing with you. Congratulations on a job so, so well done!

[Patricia (Pollywog Creek)]

Profoundly beautiful, Jeanne. Creativity and giftedness flowing from one generation to the next. Rejoice indeed! To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Congratulations!

[Jeanne Damoff]

Thanks so much for all your lovely comments, friends. I loved sharing this with you. Thanks for entering into our joy.

Love, Jeanne

[Susan Meissner]

Lovely, lovely, lovely . . .