An Immovable Feast by Tyler Blanski

Author:Tyler Blanski [Blanski, Tyler]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Spiritual & Religion
ISBN: 9781642290394
Publisher: Ignatius Press
Published: 2018-02-06T16:00:00+00:00

9

In Chevron Formation

No one comes to the Father, but by me.

—John 14:6

His father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

—Luke 15:20

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honorable estate, instituted of God in the time of man’s innocence, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church: which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought, in Cana of Galilee. . .”

And so the ceremony began.

Brittany and I just couldn’t wait any longer. It was June 30; not even six months had passed since I had proposed. She was passionate about social justice and it was impossible to obtain a conflict-free diamond, so I had given her an engagement ring with a pearl in a medieval-looking setting. We didn’t want our marriage to be about “making it”, a big show, or a grand exhibition of money. We also didn’t have any money. We bought the food for the luncheon at the local grocery store, Brittany sewed the bunting herself, and our wedding party helped cut fruit and hang decorations in the basement of our small Anglican parish in the suburbs of Minneapolis. It was a crisp June morning, and I had forgotten to pick up the donuts. A groomsman raced me to the donut shop. We rushed back with the boxes just in time for me to put on my bow tie. I was sweating.

Everyone stood to sing the Magnificat when Brittany walked down the aisle, beautiful and radiant. Sunlight shone through the stained-glass windows. The parish priest, a dear friend, was officiating. Our family and friends were gathered around to support us, to celebrate this ancient ritual as old as time. I was terrified, but happy. At last, we stood before the priest, grinning shamelessly at one another. I was very aware that Brittany and I had chosen marriage as the path we were to walk toward heaven. But how does anyone, married or not, approach heaven? What is the shape or direction of salvation history?

And all at once an unexpected gust, a vision of a sea, rushed by me. I almost took a step back. I had the strangest impulse to cross myself, and quickly lifted up an Our Father. It was as if I saw heaven and earth collide. I saw God the Father look out from his eternal throne of justice across a raging sea at a combat fleet advancing its attack. I saw ships in wedge formation cut through the white foam breakers of his justice.

Our Father who art in heaven. . .

It was only a second, but I saw it. Standing there across from my beautiful bride dressed in white, I saw the Church storming heaven like a great fleet of yore, like an innumerable fleet attacking a great king. I

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