My dear friends in
Christ, Narito and Christy, the court once said, “One of the ironic verities of
life, it has been said, is that sorrow is sometimes a touchstone of love. (Libi
v. Intermediate Appellate Court, G.R. No. 70890, 18 September 1992)
This seems to be true
because it is very easy for two lovers to love each other when everything is
okay. It is easy to say I love you when lovers are in their happy mood and
mode. It is easy to think and feel as one when everything good happens for
them. But when problems come, things
become different for lovers as they feel and think differently. When sorrow
besets the two lovers, their love is like gold tested by fire.
Sorrow is worst experienced
when lovers feel they would like to be united with each other but due to
physical distance they could not be together. Thanks to the world’s
technological development, it has at least provided bridges for lovers who are
separated by physical distance. We cannot deny that during those times when
there were no cellular phones or internet, long distance has been considered as
a problem in a relationship. Now that communication overseas is possible, why
should long distance be a problem? In fact, “Long Distance” has nothing to do
with the relationship per se though it has its toll on lovers who are in the
relationship. It is the lovers who build the relationship or even destroy it,
not the physical distance between them. “Long Distance” may seem to strengthen
the bond of their relationship or weaken it, but actually it all depends on the
quality of love they have for each other. Just like what happened to you,
Narito and Christy, in your eleven years as lovers, you have never been
together physically for seven years. You have been separated by physical
distance due to the nature of your work: Narito, you have been working in Qatar
while Christy, you have been working in Hong Kong and then in Canada. But here
you are today in the presence of many people and before us priests to declare
that your love survives. You are the primary reason why your love survives
regardless of the physical distance which separates the two of you. However,
Narito and Christy, do not be overwhelmed that because your love has survived
and that you are getting married you can now relax. No. The story of your love
does not end here. Rather, this is now the most important time for you to ask
for God’s grace. As husband and wife, you have to make your love survive
through any form of separation not only that which made by physical distance.
You can do this if you listen to the words of Jesus who said, “Love one another
as I have loved you.” It means that you love each other with the kind of love
Jesus has shown us. It also means that even in the most crucial point of your
life, let your love survive. When you are in sorrow, find joy in each other’s
love. It is only in loving each other like the way Jesus loves that you can
overturn any sorrow in you. Jesus Himself said this, “I have told you this so
that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11).
To end, Narito and
Christy, if God does not will that you are meant to be for each other, even if
you are together in space and place, time will come that you will be separated
from each other. But if God wills that you are meant to be for each other, and
you believe that this is so, then nothing, not even the physical distance, can
separate you. Therefore, if this marriage is in accordance to God’s will,
Narito and Christy, love each other as God has loved you. Amen.
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