"I Do"

I presided at a wedding yesterday, one where I had the pleasure of sharing with my wife, Beth, who was providing the music. They were a very nice couple, but they were obviously nervous, especially the bride who was shaking. The point where I noticed a change was after they said “I do”. From that point on they seemed much more relaxed. It brought back memories of our wedding day almost 45 years ago.

Don’t you love hearing stories about couples in love, how they met, whether they liked each other from the beginning or had to grow into a relationship, the scene of their proposal, their wedding day, and where they went on their honeymoon. I remember our wedding day vividly.



I had just spent three months in basic training, had arrived home, and we were getting married the next day. Because I was away for so long before the wedding, all the planning was done by Beth. I didn’t even arrange for a tux to wear for the wedding. One thing we did do before I left was choose some of the songs we wanted.

When I arrived at the airport, my Dad was there to pick me up, but my uncle was also there which I thought was a little strange. After initial greetings, I was informed that my grandmother had died. I thought they meant my great-grandmother but they said no, that it was my grandmother who lived near us. I didn’t know what to think or do or how to act. I guess I was in shock but all I knew was that I wanted to get home and see Beth.

I’m sure my being away for three months, my lack of focus on the wedding plans, and my grandmother’s death all affected me the next day at the wedding ceremony. I was sitting up in the front row waiting for the ceremony to begin, waiting for Beth, when I started having second thoughts. Am I ready for this? Do I want to make this commitment? How are things going to work out? Do I really want to get married? Talk about getting cold feet. All I could think about was “What if it got to the part of the wedding where I am supposed to say ‘I do’ and I don’t.” That is all I could think about during the first part of the Mass. I know I don’t remember a word of the homily (but who does?) and the rest of the time was spent worrying about the “I do” portion.

Time for the vows finally came and I said “I do”. At that moment I felt the Holy Spirit come down on us and filled us with a love that overflowed to all around us. I am sure we radiated a glow that everyone saw and felt. Never had I ever felt the Holy Spirit before. It was an amazing awesome experience. One I will never forget. It was an emphatic “YES” to our commitment of love for each other.

At the end of the Mass, we turned around and instead of walking out we stood there and sang “They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love” to our community of support, the song we had chosen for our recessional. I think of that day with a huge smile on my face. A day I will never forget. A day that the couple who got married yesterday helped me relive. May their marriage be as blessed as ours is.

As a sidelight, that evening I had not even reserved a room for our wedding night. So I walk into this motel in my civilian clothes while Beth waited in the car and I ask for a room. The guy says, “Do you want the bridal suite?” I guess the glow was still with me. God, was I naïve.

Deacon Greg Beckel