The marriage and honeymoon were fabulous. We had a civil ceremony in the Toronto City Hall, but we used a slightly revised wedding rite from the United Methodist Book of Worship. Below is the homily I wrote for the service. (The homily was read by one of our Toronto friends who served as one of the legal witnesses).
Homily from the Marriage Service of
Steven E. Webster and James E. Dietrich
City Hall, Toronto, Ontario, September 1, 2006
Scholars tell us that our Bible preserves traces of an even older literature, written in cuneiform--small wedges pressed into wet clay tablets and baked hard. The oldest written epic known to humanity is The Epic of Gilgamesh the King. In that tale a goddess observes the loneliness of Gilgamesh and, taking clay, she fashions for him a companion, Enkidu. Together they join in many brave adventures and remain loyal companions until parted by death. In our Bible their love song was preserved in these verses from Ecclesiastes:"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12, NRSV)
James and Steven, we join today in the celebration of your loving commitment to one another. You have demonstrated the strong bonds that have held you together for over twenty-five years. You have been through good times and bad. You have supported one another in sickness and health. You have nurtured children, and you love a grandchild. Like Gilgamesh and Enkidu, you have joined together in many adventures and have prevailed against strong adversaries.
Your marriage is not for you alone. Marriage is a public act. By your marriage you witness to others the love which is at the core of all true human community. When humankind was made, the Creator said, "It is not good that the human should be alone" and companionship was born. Christ came to the world to redeem human community, and the Spirit still moves among us breathing life into that community.
The love you share is not for you alone. Your love for one another is a sign and a blessing for all who know you.
