A perfect stranger stopped me yesterday and commented, "Proud day for you, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
Nodding at my black shirt and white Anglican clergy collar, he explained, "Well, you're an Episcopalian, an Anglican, aren't you? The royal wedding today does you proud!"
If I hadn't realized it yet, I certainly did realize it after this kindly stranger's comment, that Kate and William's wedding yesterday did not only Anglicanism proud, but also religion in general, and the holy institution of marriage, as well.
How nice to hear words to the effect that the royal couple should help each other to become what God intended them to be. How lovely to hear Kate's brother reading scripture that enjoined them, among other things, to exercise hospitality, to which the bridal couple is clearly off to a good start, having welcomed an estimated two billion television viewers to the making of their intimate vows. How touching to hear Prince William declare, "With my body I thee honor," (and what a shame the American Book of Common Prayer does not include this updated version of the even more poetic, "With my body I thee worship)." Somehow, I think that this particular heir to the throne will NOT have a wandering eye and will indeed be faithful to his wise bride and her loving and supportive family. What a wonderful thing that the royal couple together wrote a prayer for their special day.
Best of all, for me, were the televised shots from the side that made it look like the two nuns seated next to the former Prince William were only inches away. Their habits seem to indicate that they're members of the Community of the Sisters of the Church, an Anglican order of nuns in England, Canada, Australia, and the South Pacific. One of them, Sister Judith, purportedly serves as a chaplain at Westminster Abbey. Their immediate presence next to the royal couple highlights the two statuses in life offered by God: holy celibacy and holy marriage. No matter that the Bishop of London mentioned in his sermon the over-reaching phrase, "committed relationships." Holy matrimony between a smart, discreet, and beautiful woman and a careful, discerning, and handsome man reigned supreme as the foundation of society yesterday. I think the Royal Family has turned a corner in cultural leadership. Now if the crown can only skip over Charles' head to land on William's.
9 comments:
I great big "Amen", Anglicat!!
1. My first thought: "Thank the Lord it's not that worthless Rite II".
2. My second thought: "Those must be some high-ranking nuns!"
Anglicat, re your header, surely there are women and men in Minnesota who are not 'strong and good looking'? I'm becoming weaker as I age, and have never been all that good looking. Do your words imply that strong and good looking is more valuable than anything else?
Great comment. Can someone please enlighten me as to why the two nuns were on the altar level with the rest of the Clergy; not to mention having their chairs right next to William? Surely they must have some significant role to have such choice seats...
Just curious in Houston.
Dear Anna,
That line about strong and good-looking is a Minnesota insiders' joke. We have a rather (in)famous celebrity here whose radio broadcast describes his fictionalized home town here as "Lake Woebegone, where all the women are strong and all the men are good-looking." I have written at least two blog articles critical of various aspects of his work. I guess maybe with the international audience that my nuns article attracted, I need to rethink using this Minnesota insiders' joke. Of decreasing strength, looks, and memory myself, I certainly ascribe no value judgments to the inevitable human contition, and apologize for any offense; none was intended.
Thanks for writing, and please visit again!
Cheers, Anglicat
Hi.It truly was a beautiful wedding, but we must remember that although this family is supposed to represent the Christian world, they are far from doing so. When the Archbishop said a prayer of blessing over them, there of course will not be a blessing from His Most HOLY the God of heaven & earth, because they lived together before marriage, loosing the innocence of what a true partnership is all about, founded on the laws & statutes of God's laws, & written in black & white in the word of God, the HOLY BIBLE. This church is indeed hypocritical to the truth of the word & makes it's own man made laws & disregards what marriage with man & woman stands for.
Tom, I don't know WHY the nuns were seated where they were, but I love the resulting symbolic value. To have two brides of Christ prominently witnessing and praying for this particular marriage is just lovely, Lovely, LOVELY, IMHO!
Anon--I make it a point not to hang around other people's bedrooms. If what you say is true, and I would concede it probably is, can we not rejoice that this well-matched couple has now taken the step into matrimoney and made their troth in the eyes of God and society? I think the angels are rejoicing!
I applaud your analysis...the wedding was wonderful. I think the monarchy has been handsomely rescued for some time to come. A friend of mine made the following statement: "Wow. An entire day devoted to inequality, religion (later he changed that to religiosity), heterosexuality, and white people!" My thought was that it was simply a blessing to be able to celebrate my heritage...which has taken so many hits in recent years.
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