Wedding Ceremony
Sean and Rebecca Ward
B-8, D-2, F-6
May 19, 2012
Holy Trinity Church, Georgetown
The Revelation of Rocks, Pebbles and
Sand
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
The Mayonnaise Jar
One day a philosophy professor stood in front of his class,
holding up a large one-gallon mayonnaise jar.
Without saying a word, he took out a box of rocks, each about two
inches in diameter. He carefully put as
many of these rocks into the jar as it would hold.
He then asked the class if the jar was full. The class agreed that it was.
Then, without saying a word, the professor brought out a box of
pebbles. He gently poured them into the
jar, gave the jar a few easy shakes, filling the open spaces between the rocks.
Again, he asked the class if the jar was full. And again, the class agreed that it was full.
Then, without saying a word, the professor brought out a bag of
sand. He poured the sand around the
rocks and pebbles until he had emptied the entire bag; another gentle shake.
All the little spaces between the rocks and pebbles were now
full. The professor then held up the
jar.
Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand
He proclaimed: “This is your life.
“The rocks are the important things you experience, things like
health and family – whatever means the most to you. The pebbles are the other things that matter,
like your job and your house.
“The sand is everything else, the small stuff, if you will.
Now, consider the fact that, if you put the sand in the jar first,
there will be no room for the rocks and pebbles.
“That is, if you focus on the small things in your life, there
won’t be any room for the important things.
So pay attention to the things of the heart that really matter and make
those your most important and lasting choices.”
Priorities in Marriage
That professor gives us all a valuable lesson today, and a lesson
pitched especially for Sean and Rebecca.
ROCKS: Into the jar of your
marriage, first place the solid rocks of
your relationship as spouses – the qualities Sirach speaks of in describing
a gracious wife and a loving husband. Such a relationship will make time for
prayerful listening and heartfelt communication; it will allow for a quiet
sacred space to share joy and accomplishments, as well as sadness and
disappointments.
It is such a relationship that has allowed you to first get Sean’s
company off the ground and in a few years to turn to your career, Rebecca.
PEBBLES: Then, into the jar of your
marriage, place the pebbles of careers, money, house, car – we can’t forget
motorcycle – and country.
Realize that these material goods are very helpful in building and
cementing your marriage, yet they remain the pebbles; they remain secondary.
SAND: And then, with these rocks
and pebbles in the jar of your marriage, you will be able to see the sand of
extra comforts and luxuries for what they are – as sand, as relatively
unimportant.
And with this perspective of sand, you will also see preferences, petty
differences, disagreements and even hurts for what they are – as rather small
in the larger scheme of life and as things that can be dealt let go of.
Conclusion
Sean and Rebecca, in our skyping together the past six months, I
have come to believe that you already value this sense of priority. Let your
vows to each other today confirm that valuing.
The gospel you chose for today admonishes spouses to “Leave father
and mother to be joined as one” and it assures us that, “The two of you shall
become one flesh.” That union of hearts is on-going and you have made an
extraordinary beginning.
So with these priorities of rocks, pebbles, and sand, and this
gospel thought in mind, I invite you now to come forward and exchange vows that
will join you to each other.
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