In light of today's Gospel I decided this is too beautiful not to share. I did some research about the traditional Jewish wedding in the time of Jesus and I was so touched.
The perspective Bridegroom would travel to the perspective Bride's house and discuss with her father a dowry. Once they can to an agreement, the perspective Bride would come out and the Bridegroom would fill a chalice with wine. He would then pray a "Bethrothal Blessing" over this chalice of wine and he and the Bride would share it. This, according to Law of Moses, was the official wedding.
The Bridegroom would then leave his Bride and go back to his fathers house to prepare a "Bridal Suite" and this usually would take up to one year. Meanwhile, the Bride would be preparing her Bridal Trousseau (Hope Chest). She would go out during the day, with a veil on, so others would know she was married. She would stay home during the night because this was traditionally when the Bridegroom would come. Neither she or her Bridegroom knew when that would be. The Bridegroom's father would be the one to tell his son when it was time to go and get his Bride.
When the time came for this, the Bridegroom would gather his wedding party and carrying forms of light, would proceed to his Bride's house. When they were still a little ways off they would make noise to alert her the Bridegroom was on his way. The Bride would then gather her wedding party and await his arrival. Custom was that her family and friends would turn their heads to allow the Bride groom to "sneak in and steal her."
The party would then process back to the Bridegroom's father's house and the couple would enter the Bridal Suite. Once the consummation had taken place, the Bridegroom would either come to the door or give some kind of signal to his best man letting him know. The couple remained in the Bridal Suite for seven days. The Bridegroom had previously prepare it with all of their needs. The wedding party and the rest of the guest would go to the other part of the house and they too would party for seven days.
After seven days the Bridegroom and Bride would come out of the Bridal Suite, the Bridegroom presenting his new Bride to everyone. Then everyone would join the festivities.
Does it all sound familiar? John 14:2-3, " ...I go to my Father's house to prepare you a place..." Matthew 25:36, " But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father alone." Matthew 24:42-43, "Jesus said to his disciples: "Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. The Bride was prepared!
I don't know about you, but this stirred up some really deep emotions in my heart. And with yesterday's readings, the first one in Revelation 21:9, "Come here and I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb", I begin to feel the deep longing that the Bride, while waiting up to a year, must feel about her Bridegroom!
It made me realize and look at how, as the Bride, am I preparing for the return of my Bridegroom? What am I placing in my Bridal Trousseau? Am I being faithful to my Bridegroom while he is not physically with me? Am I living in such a way that others know I am the Bride of the Lamb?
Isn't it so beautiful how we know theologically the Church is the Bride, but yet, on a spiritual level, it also is each one of us individually. We not only have to look at ourselves as the Bride, but the Church as a whole, as Bride and what are we doing for our Bridegroom? I love Scared Scripture! It is so deep, rich and living.
This also has so much more meaning to me. Most of you know my situation of being a Religious Sister in a community that was suppressed. It has been very hard to let go of that life. God has asked me to make this a "year" of discernment as He is preparing that special place for me to be with Him, whatever and wherever that may be.
I thank all of you for your past support in prayers for me and ask for your continued prayers as I wait upon the Lord in this year of discernment.
