The Hub, October 15, 2019
This Sunday, I presided at a bittersweet wedding. The bride’s beloved grandfather had died unexpectedly this past year, and he was sorely missed. The grandfather’s absence was palpable, but there was a lot of joy as people shared stories about him. As part of this celebration of ongoing life and love, the bride’s grandmother gifted the bride with a Bible given to her at her own wedding over 60 years ago as a remembrance to be used during the service. Among the texts chosen was the popular John 15:9-12 where Jesus invites us to abide in his love.
The bride’s grandfather, John, was a very intelligent, loving, Italian grandfather, the kind who could lovingly dote on children without spoiling them. Indeed, he often became a surrogate grandfather to many children at my former congregation. Not only would he give them little penny candies, he often asked questions about their week. He would offer them advice and encouragement in response to their answers. He was never too busy for a child.
It had become John’s habit long ago with his own children to jokingly offer a grade whenever a task was performed, or a challenge met. No matter how well they did, it was a C (an average grade) – maybe on a very good day a C+. Perhaps this was meant to challenge people to increasingly do better, or perhaps it was offered for the laughs and smiles it would solicit as they heard this grade and saw his smile again, and again, and again. Whatever the reason, I found in it a loving reminder. We are all human. We can always do better, love better, be better, and we need one another.
The liturgical wedding service reminds all of us through its words that although life is filled with love and excitement, it can become overcast and hard. Yet, the service, especially the Gospel, also reminds us of an A+ kind of love. It’s a love that we can rest in and find strength from. It is a love that helps us bear all things patiently, to wait with hope, to accept one another as we are and not for what we would hope to be. It is a love that grows and lasts; always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. It is a love that forgives and never fails. It reflects our God who is love and loves us.
As individuals, couples or community, we might only reach the grade of C+ on our own (even at our best), but God’s love is transformative. It is an A+ kind of love that we can abide in each and every day. It has the power to make our lives significant and declare us perfectly forgiven and free.
Originally published in The Hub, a weekly email of Christ Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg, VA.
© 2019 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author.
2pennyblog 