Page 119 of Wish You Faith

What better way to start their marriage than to read the Bible together at their wedding ceremony?

“The bride and groom will now read 1 Corinthians to each other,” Pastor Flores said.

There was silence in the community center as the wedding couple faced each other with their own Bibles opened before them.

Evan had originally thought that it would be easier to print out the New Testament chapter, but after a quick discussion with Rosie, they both agreed that they wanted to bring their own Bibles to the wedding, open them in front of everyone, and read the verses aloud.

Evan had said, “Ladies first,” so they agreed to let Rosie read the first verse, and they would alternate until the thirteenth verse. It was much like what they had done on Christmas morning at Grandpa’s condo, when Evan, Rosie, and Sonya had read Luke 2 aloud to one another.

The microphone on their collars picked up their voices and carried them across the big room.

With nervousness in her voice, Rosie read 1 Corinthians 13:1.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

Evan then picked up on the next verse. He tried to keep his voice even.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Rosie resumed reading on the third verse.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

It went well so far until they reached 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, which was practically one long sentence, so Evan and Rosie took turn to read each verse back to back in such a way as to form one continual thought.

Evan read the fourth verse before Rosie read the fifth, and then it was back to Evan again for the sixth verse. Rosie rounded it up with the seventh verse.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Evan’s voice was cracking, and he could barely get through reading 1 Corinthians 13:8.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

Love never failed indeed. Evan recalled how easily he’d fallen in love with Rosie the moment he saw her at the tree farm greenhouse. It was this enduring love that had carried them through their long-distance relationship all the way to this wedding day.

Evan and Rosie continued reading alternating verses until they reached 1 Corinthians 13:13, which Rosie delivered beautifully without crying.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Evan closed his eyes and listened. Rosie’s voice resonated in the community center and echoed in Evan’s heart.

Faith, hope, love.

When Rosie finished reading, she looked up.

“I love you,” Evan mouthed silently. Connor took his Bible from him.

“I love you too,” Rosie mouthed back as she closed her Bible and handed it to her matron of honor.

The wedding guests clapped boisterously. Some said, “Yes, Jesus,” and some said, “Amen” loudly.

Pastor Flores nodded to both of them and then addressed the wedding guests. “This true love is given by God through Jesus Christ. God’s love enables a Christian husband to be able to love his Christian wife, and vice versa. ‘But the greatest of these is love.’ If you know Jesus, you know this love that Evan and Rosie just read from 1 Corinthians 13.”

The rest of the ceremony went smoothly as they recited their traditional wedding vows and placed wedding bands on each other’s left ring fingers. Tears streamed down their faces when they said “I do” to their promise to stay by each other in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, and to love and cherish each other until their dying days.

Evan felt that he had conquered the world after he slid the diamond-encrusted wedding ring on Rosie’s finger. He wondered if she felt the same, but she only smiled from ear to ear.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Pastor Flores closed. “You may kiss your bride.”

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