Family in Feast and Feria

we were married. We just marvel at how wondrous God's plan for us unfolded. We both thought we'd never meet the "right one." We almost gave up...and then God "introduced" us. Our married life hasn't been without its crosses, but our mutual love for each other and our Catholic Faith and our friendship has guided us through the rocky times to make us love each other even more deeply than the day we said our marriage vows.

At Castle of the Immaculate Helen remembers the importance of a modest wedding dress. That was so important to me, also. Being June in hazy, hot, humid Virgina, the choices of new dresses had little to offer for me. I wanted simple and elegant, but modest. Sleeveless wasn't an option. So I tried on dresses in antique shop in Leesburg, and fell in love with this 1930s silk charmeuse gown. It was the first dress I tried on, and it was perfect. (And the price was right, too!)

When I think of my wedding day, the nuptial Mass were the main focus. We carefully chose our readings and music and meditated over the richness of the Liturgy. My love for symbols was apparent even in my wedding program. Here's the image from the front cover and the explanation:

LITURGICAL SYMBOL

The candles manifest that Catholics enter the Sacrament of Matrimony in Church during a Nuptial Mass. The candles also signify the children God may give them. They will be as shining lights glorifying God, for the child is sacred in marriage. The hands are joined when the parties make their marriage vows in the presence of the priest, the Church's official witness, whose priestly office to bless a Catholic marriage is shown by the stole. The two gold rings are linked together to show the unity and indissolubility until death. The lily signifies the virtue of purity which must be preserved throughout their wedded life. The Chi Rho means that it was Christ who made marriage a sacrament and that the Catholic marriage begins with the Blessing of Christ. The crosses God may send will be borne with Christian resignation, and that strength to carry on will come from the channels of grace Christ merited for us through His death on the cross. The water pots recall that Christ performed His first miracle by changing water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana.

The Cana Cross, which is part of the above symbol, is a wonderful reminder of our marriage vows and how we unite ourselves to Christ. And looking at any cross or my wedding rings brings this to mind:

THIS CANA CROSS,
dear married couple,
is the symbol of Christian Marriage.
THE WEDDING RINGS
nailed thereon and intertwined,
are you—the bride, the groom—
locked in endless love
one to the other;
and bound to Christ
in service to His cause.
HONOR THEN THESE RINGS
every time you willingly and cheerfully
bear each CROSS
that comes your way
throughout your marriage!
AND LOOK TO THE CROSS
for the deepest proof
of LOVE in Marriage—
SELF-SACRIFICE!