Richard and Ma. Famela's Marriage

 

Richard and Ma. Famela, you were classmates in high school, co-workers in Jollibee (Aklan), and then lovers in a committed relationship and finally, today you shall be called husband and wife before God and before the Christian community.

At this moment, let me lead you to your experience way back when you Famela asked Richard how he was via chat messages in year 2016. After that, it was your turn Richard to ask Famela if she knew a job opening or hiring in Aklan. This series of exchange of questions led you Richard to ask Famela if you could court her and be her lover in year 2017 of January. Though hesitant, Famela gave you the permission to prove your worth Richard. Just like when the both of you apply for a job, there is a pre-employment requirement or condition, Famela’s only condition and requirement is for you Richard to give respect to her parents because she loves them so much. Before Famela accepted you to be her boyfriend, she asked permission from her parents first. When she accepted you to be her boyfriend, she chose her parents’ wedding anniversary date to be your significant day. This shows how Famela loves her parents and the only way for you Richard to win her heart is to show that you can love her parents the way she loves them. Richard and Famela, hopefully even if you are now married, you continue to pay respect to your parents. Colossians 3:20 says, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.”

Richard and Famela, you have a beautiful story of love which leads you here in this church today. But let me remind you that being married is not the ending of any love story. All love stories should end in loving until death. John 15: 13 states, there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for the other. This means Richard and Famela, there is no such thing as retrenchment in married life. Retrenchment happens in any company or business institution like Jollibee, where you were working at, which faces major or serious losses nowadays. Retrenchment is one way of terminating an employment. It ends the employer-employee relationship. In most broken/failing marriages, the major or serious loss being experienced is the loss of love between the husband and wife. They said they do not love each other anymore and they have to terminate their marital relationship for this reason. They put an end to their husband-wife relationship. Richard and Famela, this is not acceptable for us who are called practicing Catholics. If there is something that both of you Richard and Famela need to lose, it should not be love. Why? Love is your reason why you marry and marriage is your reason to find love. Whenever you look for love, just look at your marriage.

It is a fact that there are marriages which end in annulment or divorce because they have lost their love; but for practicing Catholics, love will never be lost because it is God who binds couples together in love. Practicing Catholics know that Jesus said this, “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:9-17). These words of Jesus become our basis that there is love that cannot be lost and which always makes one’s joy complete. This kind of love can be found in God and you can find it Richard and Famela in your heart if you remain in God’s love.

To end, remember Famela that before you enter into a committed relationship with Richard, you used to pray to God to give you the man of your dream. You see how powerful prayer is when Richard came into your life and now is married to you, the man of your dream. Hopefully, Famela together with Richard, you pray together. By praying together, you remain in God’s love. By praying for each other, you will remain in love to each other. Pray that God will bind you together in love till the end of days. Amen.