The Rite of Holy Matrimony - Lessons and Sermon

Bishop Eric Menees

As we continue our examination of the 2019 Book of Common Prayer and specifically the Rite of Holy Matrimony, having last week looked at the presentation of the couple for the sacrament of marriage and the Collect, today we turn to the reading of scriptures and the sermon. I said at the outset of this study that there is a common misconception that marriage is simply about two people, nothing more and nothing less. The public reading of the Word of God stands firmly against this misconception. Whenever possible the marriage should be held in the midst of the celebration of Holy Eucharist. As a result, it is customary to have four lessons spanning the scope of the Holy Scriptures: Old Testament, Psalm, New Testament and Gospel.  When conducting the Rite of Holy Matrimony outside of the celebration of Holy Eucharist a minimum of one lesson is read but I highly recommend at least one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament demonstrating the depth of God’s Word and the foundations of marriage as the root to societal and family life. Immediately following the reading of scripture, it is incumbent upon the celebrant to expound upon the scriptures and the importance that the Word of God plays not only in marriage in general but specifically in this marriage. As with all things important in life the Word of God gives us both lens to see the world at large and our own lives in specific. I pray you every blessing this Lord’s Day!

The Lessons  One or more of the following passages is read. Genesis 1:26-28 (Male and female he created them) Genesis 2:4-9, 15-24 (A man holds fast to his wife and they become one flesh) Song of Solomon 2:10-13; 8:6-7 (Many waters cannot quench love) Tobit 8:5b-8 (That she and I may grow old together) Between the Lessons, a Psalm, hymn, or anthem may be sung or said. Appropriate Psalms are 45, 67, 127, or 128. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (Love is patient and kind) Ephesians 3:14-19 (The Father from whom every family is named) Ephesians 5:1-2, 21-33 (Walk in love, as Christ loved us) Colossians 3:12-17 (Love which binds everything together in harmony) 1 John 4:7-16 (Let us love one another, for love is of God) Matthew 5:1-10 (The Beatitudes) Matthew 5:13-16 (You are the light . . . Let your light shine) Matthew 7:24-29 (Like a wise man who built his house on the rock) Mark 10:6-16 (They are no longer two but one) John 2:1-11 (The wedding at Cana) John 15:9-12 (Love one another as I have loved you) If Communion is to follow, a passage from the Gospels always concludes the Lessons. At a Eucharist, all stand, and the Deacon or Minister appointed says The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to ________. People Glory to you, Lord Christ. After the Gospel, the Reader says The Gospel of the Lord. People Praise to you, Lord Christ. The sermon

The Bishop’s Note - The Presentation and the Collect

Bishop Eric Menees

Greetings to you my brothers and sisters of the Diocese of San Joaquin. I pray that you have all had a very blessed week. Last week we continued on with our examination of the 2019 BCP Rite of Holy Matrimony looking at the Declaration of Consent. This week we cover the next two sections, The Presentation and the Collect.

Who presents N. [and N.] for Holy Matrimony? Response     We do

Up until the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, the presentation always consisted of the words “Who giveth this Woman to be married to this Man?” and it was the father giving away his daughter. There was a clear sign of ownership in this sentence that doesn’t exist in scripture. Since then this section has been changed so the bride and/or the groom can be presented, and it may be done by their parents, or a significant person in their lives like their godparents should the former not be able to be present.        The presentation is important because it represents the broader community supporting this marriage. In most cases, it represents the parents support for the marriage and is a literal way of “letting go” of their son or daughter… not always an easy task. Of course, it also represents the literal leaving of the parents on behalf of the bride or groom in order to form a new family. As stated in Genesis 2, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” This is the couple leaving their parents before they become one flesh. This thought is continued in the collect that comes next.

O gracious and everliving God, you have created us male and female in your image: Look mercifully upon this man and this woman who come to you seeking your blessing, and assist them with your grace, that with true fidelity and steadfast love they may honor and keep the promises and vows they make; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The collects in our BCP do such a good job of “collecting” together all the thoughts and intentions behind certain services, and we see that especially here. This collect is addressed to the God the Father, referencing him as the one who created us in His image, male and female. As in the presentation this hearkens back to the beginning of creation, and it focuses the intentions of the collect on the couple now standing before God the Father and His Church to make their vows, “Look mercifully upon this man and this woman who come to you seeking your blessing.” The couple shouldn’t be there simply because they “think or feel” this is the right thing to do or because the church is a beautiful place for a wedding. No, the couple come before God and His Church because they know that without God’s grace surrounding them - their marriage will be a house built upon sand.        Of course, that is exactly what the sacrament of Holy Matrimony is – an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.        As we go through the rest of this sacrament, please keep this collect in mind and return to it often to reflect on how the different parts of the service tie into it. I’ll be with you again next week where we discuss some of the scripture readings read in Holy Matrimony.

Pentecost 2A 2020

Outdoor Service from Meadow Lakes.
https://www.stjas.org/sermons.html

Bishop’s Note – The Declaration of Consent

Bishop Eric Menees

Greetings to you my brothers and sisters of the Diocese of San Joaquin. I pray that you all had a very blessed Trinity Sunday, even if it meant our worshiping via a virtual platform. Last week we continued on with our examination of the 2019 BCP Rite of Holy Matrimony looking at the charge from the celebrant to the couple, requiring them to confess, and thus stop the service, if they know any reason why they cannot be married in accordance with God’s Word. This week we examine what immediately follows the charge…the Declaration of Consent.

The Officiant says to the Man N., will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together out of reverence for Christ in the covenant of Holy Matrimony? Will you love her, honor her, comfort and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live? The Man answers I will. The Officiant says to the Woman N., will you have this man to be your husband; to live together out of reverence for Christ in the covenant of Holy Matrimony? Will you honor him, love him, comfort and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live? The Woman answers I will. The Officiant then addresses the Congregation, saying Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold this man and this woman in their marriage? People We will.

Our marriage service has its roots in the first century and before. This portion, known as the Declaration of Consent, dates back to the betrothal ceremony where the families would bring the couple together, sometimes for the first time, and the couple would promise to be faithful during the betrothal period while they prepared, spiritually, emotionally and financially, for marriage. Note that these are promises before the Lord, the betrothed, their families, and the community.  With the 1662 BCP the two services were merged into one and the betrothal was marked by the publishing of the Bans of Marriage which I addressed a few weeks back.             One of the first things to notice is an addition made into the 2019 BCP, when the officiant asks each of them if they will “live together out of reverence for Christ in the covenant of Holy Matrimony.” Until 1979, the couple was asked to “live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony.” The 1979 BCP removed God from this section by substituting “to live together in the covenant of marriage.” Not only did the 1979 BCP remove a reference to the covenant being God’s, they removed a reference to marriage being holy. This ties into what I shared in previous weeks about how marriage has come to be seen by many, not as an institution of God but as something man-made that can be changed by society. The 2019 BCP aligns with the earlier traditions and puts God back into center of marriage with the clear understanding that the relationship of husband and wife reflects the relationship of Christ and His Church. The marriage relationship is a covenantal relationship that St. Augustine described as a triangle with God at the pinnacle and the husband and wife at either corner. In order for the couple to come closer to one another they need to come closer to God. The language of the Declaration of Consent is beautiful and upholds the values so often forgotten in modern society. Rather than thinking in terms of me and mine a Christian Marriage is dedicated to seeking the good of one’s spouse prior to their own.  The values of honoring, loving, and comforting the other under all circumstances are a vital foundation to Christian Marriage.  These values turned to actions reflect Christ’s love and cannot be maintained without the help of Christ Himself and the community that surrounds them.  It is for this reason that the community gathered is asked for their public promise before God to support the couple in their marriage. I pray you all every blessing this week.

St. James Anglican Church Trinity Sunday Year A 2020

Fr. Dale Matson
The video of the sermon is here.
https://www.stjas.org/sermons.html

Homily for Trinity Sunday Year A 2020

Fr. Dale Matson

Let us begin with a prayer from our prayer book.

            Most loving Father, you will us to give thanks for all things, to dread nothing but the loss of you, and to cast all our care on the One who cares for us. Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, and grant that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested unto us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

            I want to begin with some comments about the current situation and then get into Trinity Sunday observations.

            My Garmin sport watch has a feature called “Body Battery”. It has a reading from 1-100. I think it does a good job of telling me when I have over exercised or been too stressed or I didn’t get enough sleep. Lately, I have begun my days with a score below 50. This is indicative of not just my overactive life, it is also a measure of my stress. Much of my activity is for dealing with stress. It seemed for me just as I was beginning to deal with the Covid 19 lock down and the easing of the restrictions, we were hit with the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers. His death was an event that shook the nation. Unfortunately, the civil protests were followed by rioting, looting and fires. Mr. Floyd’s family has called for peace. There will be justice.

            This is deja vu for me. I remember well the riots in 1967 that spread to 130 U.S. cities. I came home on leave from the army and found that Detroit was on fire and under martial law. Over 2,000 buildings were burned to the ground, a thousand people were injured and 44 people were killed. President Lyndon Johnson sent in units of the 92^nd and 101^st airborne divisions to put down the riots which lasted five days. This was the beginning of the end of the 5^th largest city in the U.S. which is now about the population of Fresno.

All of this was during the backdrop of the Vietnam War. It was an unpopular war and young people were demonstrating everywhere. Being seen on the streets in uniform was an invitation to abuse. When I was 22 I was bothered by this but not distressed. So, you had a powder keg setting with the civil unrest of the Viet Nam war and then the match was struck with the riots. It ended LBJs presidential ambitions for another term as president. He chose not to run.

I believe the Covid 19 shut down was a similar preliminary problem to the Viet Nam war. People were already upset and had been demonstrating against the shutdown. With the U.S. population being cooped up for 3 months, was the seedbed. This was the powder keg that set the stage for the demonstrations and rioting following the death of George Floyd. It was once again a perfect storm.

While I was resilient when I was 22, today I am distressed. I think the words fragile and elderly go together. I cannot begin to imagine the stress some of our parishioners are under who are in poor health and living alone. But this is taking a toll on all of us. Stress damages the immune system. Many folks will die younger because of the stress of these two events so close together. But, I want to say to all of you, pray, pray and pray some more. I understand what you are experiencing because I am going through this too.

   

            The title of my homily today is:

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit

Today is Trinity Sunday. The Christian Church is Trinitarian. The doctrine of the Trinity was established early in the history of the Christian Church and we confess it every Sunday in the Nicene Creed.  I am sure that you are all familiar with the fact that we worship one God in three persons. This is both a fact and a mystery of Christ’s Church. Each person of the Godhead is usually associated with particular actions and we say as we do in the Nicene Creed that God the Father is the Creator of Heaven and Earth and all things seen and unseen. We also say that God the Son, Jesus Christ also participated in creation. Christ is one person with two natures. He is both God and Man. He is also associated with our redemption and salvation through this perfect life, death, resurrection and ascension. When He ascended to Heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent to give spiritual life to those who believe in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is here to live in us, to guide us into truth and to sanctify us as we live out our Christian lives. Sanctification is the process of becoming Holy. In this process we take on the life of our Savior Christ. God the Holy Spirit empowers us to live the Christian life and to boldly proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. What I have expressed are the basics of our faith.

While we think of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit acting independently from one another, what makes us a truly Christian Church is our embracing each of the Persons of the Godhead equally and understanding how all the Persons of the Godhead are working together for our sake.  Let me give you an example in the account of the resurrection of Christ. Who raised Christ from the dead?

1.     There are a number of passages that say it was God the Father. Here is an example from Acts 5:30.  “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.”

2.     In the verse immediately prior to our reading from Romans Chapter 8, we hear in verse 11, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Here it is God the Holy Spirit who raised Christ from the dead.

3.     How about this? “Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. “The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body” (John 2:19-20). The Mormons and the Jehovah’s Witnesses try and explain this verse away because it clearly shows the deity of Christ. They will say He was simply speaking in a metaphor and this should not be taken literally. OK, how about these verses from John Chapter 10 (17-18a). “Therefore, My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” So, who raised Christ from the dead? One God acting as three Persons raised Christ from the dead.

            We have three creeds in the Anglican Church. We have the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed and ….What is the other creed? How many here have heard of the Athanasian Creed before? How many have said the Athanasian Creed before? The creed is the summary of our belief about the Trinity.  Before I get to our Epistle Lesson today I want to take you to Page 769 of your ACNA prayer book for those of you who have one, please follow along as I read the Athanasian Creed. It is fitting that on Trinity Sunday we should examine aspects of the Creed.

            “…That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.”

“…So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. And in this Trinity, none is afore, or after other; none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world;Perfect God and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.

At this point in the Athanasian Creed, it becomes similar to the Nicene Creed. And fleshes out a similar Christology.

“For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ;

Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven; he sits at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from Whom He will come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.”

            In our Epistle lesson the Apostle Paul concludes and includes the Trinity with this. “11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All the saints greet you. 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

            My final prayer is also from our prayer book.

“O God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful: Sanctify this Congregation by your abiding presence. Bless those who minister in holy things. Enlighten the minds of your people more and more with the light of the everlasting Gospel. Bring erring souls to the knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ; and those who are walking in the way of life, keep steadfast to the end. Give patience to the sick and afflicted, and renew them in body and soul. Guard those who are strong and prosperous from forgetting you. Increase in us your many gifts of grace, and make us all fruitful in good works. This we ask, O blessed Spirit, whom with the Father and the Son we worship and glorify, one God, world without end.  Amen.”

Bishop’s Note – The Charge

Bishop Eric Menees

Greetings to you my brothers and sisters of the Diocese of San Joaquin. I pray that you all had a blessed Day of Pentecost, even if it meant our worshiping via a virtual platform. The last two weeks we’ve taken a break from our discussion of the pastoral Rite of Holy Matrimony to focus on the collects for the Feast of the Ascension and the Day of Pentecost, but this week I’m pleased to continue on with our examination of the 2019 BCP Rite of Holy Matrimony. Some might ask, given the high tension and anxiety surging around us this past ten days or so, why not address racism, riots, etc. in this Bishop’s Note? The answer is because the greatest gift that the church offers society is a strong family founded on the love of Jesus Christ. Holy Matrimony, the joining of a man and woman as one, forms the basis of each family, and our families are the cornerstone of society and the nucleus of civilization. We may have immediate and pressing concerns in society, but if we want a society that’s stronger and more cohesive, improving marriages is a huge part of the solution. So today, we continue with our examination of the Rite of Holy Matrimony by looking at the charge given by the officiant. In the service with the congregation gathered together, the celebrant has laid out the theological and scriptural foundations for marriage.  The celebrant then asks the congregation if anyone knows of any reason why the couple should not be married according to God’s Word, and if so they should speak up or forever hold their peace.  The celebrant then turns to the couple about to be married and says:

The Officiant then continues, saying to the persons to be married I require and charge you both, in the Name of God, from whom no secrets are hid, that if either of you know any impediment why you may not be married rightly, you do now confess it; being assured that those who are joined contrary to God’s Word are not truly united in Holy Matrimony.

This charge isn’t a charge in the sense of an accusation or admonishment, but a charge in the sense of a spiritual exhortation. In the same sense that Baptism and the Eucharist as sacraments need to be approached both in a sense of faith and repentance, so too does Holy Matrimony. This charge begins with that recognition of God’s role, and then it continues with the officiant charging the couple to publicly confess if they know of an impediment to their being married. This is a confession to God but in front of the congregation and their fiancée. This serves as a reminder, for the couple and the congregation, that marriage should be entered into without trying to hide anything. As it says, no secrets are, or can be,  hidden from God. Like so much we’ve already covered in Holy Matrimony, this is a change from the 1979 BCP. The 1979 only charged the couple to confess so that they could enter into marriage lawfully, whereas this speaks to God withholding that union if they’re joined contrary to God’s Word. Holy Matrimony isn’t simply a legal relationship outlined by man that people sign up for. Holy Matrimony is a sacrament of the Church where a man and woman are made one by God. Each person is answerable to their spouse but they’re also ultimately responsible to God, the one who joins their union. Therefore, this is a reminder for the couple that they are accountable to each other and that keeping of secrets, other than a birthday gift etc., is dangerous to the relationship. Each person should both confess their sins regularly to God, and share and confess to their spouse the wrongs they’ve done them. For all of those reading this Bishop’s Note I encourage you to turn to God regularly in repentance and confess your sins, knowing that no secrets are hid from him. For those of you who are married, I encourage you additionally to turn to your spouse and communicate with them, making sure you don’t keep any secrets from them. If you find yourself keeping a secret from your spouse ask yourself, “Why?” “What is it I need to change so that I can be transparent before my beloved?” For those of you who are single, and called to marriage, my prayer is that you find the person God has called to be your spouse and that you truly may live happily ever after. I pray you all a very blessed, healthy and safe week.