Eric and Jamjam's Wedding

Eric and Jamjam, after I deliver this homily kindly excuse me for I will be leaving for Manila. In fact, my flight was scheduled last September 15, but I rescheduled it because I really desire to be present here today on your most memorable and important phase of your life.

My dear friends in Christ, back in 2012, I have known Jamjam as one of the lead vocalists of the parish music ministry. She was also the most popular girl in the campus during that time showing her multiple talents in singing and dancing. What I really admire the most about Jamjam is that she is always smiling and is able to deal with things gently. I had no problem in the music ministry back then. The ministry has long been established and the members were well-organized with Joshua as the organist and Jamjam as the choir leader. This was not the case of the altar servers. There were young men assisting the priest at the altar yet the ministry was not formally established and the members lacked some proper trainings. When I asked Fr. Adonis Rimano to form the first batch of the altar servers, one of them caught my attention -Eric. Fr. Adonis associated him with Daniel Padilla, a promising young actor at that time. What I admire about Eric is that he is industrious and very reliable when it comes to work.

In talking about relationships, Jamjam is somewhat reserved, taking her time to process things and does not rush to express her feelings publicly. Eric, on his part, is expressive of what he feels. I jokingly called him -kanta, lakat, dalagan (song-go-run). He is what he feels.

In serving the parish, both are dedicated in their own ways. Jamjam would bring joy to the group while Eric would not only serve at the altar but would even cook our food in the parish rectory.

My dear friends in Christ, I say all these to make you aware that I know Eric and Jamjam and I love them, thereby applying the idiomatic expression, “to know is to love” in this context.

I see Jamjam and Eric are two souls growing up in the parish, never knowing that today they would recite together the couple’s prayer -Grant us, O Lord, to be one heart and one soul. This is the day when these two become one. They were like two seeds planted in a garden, and God, the Gardener planted them to grow adjacent to each other as individual trees, yet grafted together forming like one tree.

Unlike other couples who started as strangers to each other before they fell in love, you Eric and Jamjam have known each other for years; you have seen each other’s weakness and shadows, you have shown yourself at your worst and at your weakest, now you show to the world your best that you can stand still together from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death sets you apart. In short, my dear friends in Christ, Eric knows Jamjam and he loves her. Jamjam also knows Eric and she loves him.

However, Eric and Jamjam, it is not only you who know each other’s truest selves and accept you for being who you are. In the Book of Jeremiah 1:5, it states, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” Yes, Eric and Jamjam, God knows you and love you more than anybody can love you. God sees you when no one is watching -when your sincerely serve at the parish, when you feel quiet, lonely or sad, when you lose hope or worry about your career or job. God knows what you need in life and thus He sends you for each other.

In God’s love, you two are meant to each other. But your love story does not end here at your wedding. Rather, both of you should learn to offer back to God the love He has given you. You already know how to serve God as an Altar Knight, Eric. You already know how to serve God as a Psalmist or cantor, Jamjam. This time, you have to serve together as a couple and as one family. Raise your children in the same faith you have lived since childhood. You are not only two hearts that become one, but you become one to serve God together for the rest of your lives.

To end, Eric and Jamjam, remember the words of Jesus in John 15: 12-13 when He said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: love each other as I have loved you.” Eric and Jamjam, your love for each other is from God. You can only be happy with your love when both of you love God. Therefore, find happiness in living together, being together and serving God and your parish together. May God bless you and your family. Amen.