Fifteen years ago you both celebrated your 45th anniversary on Saturday less than 2 weeks after I arrived here. Although it’s foggy, I sort of recall doing this. Ten years ago I remember the 50th anniversary: meeting all kinds of Furmatos and dancing. Still foggy, but the picture is becoming clearer. Anyone who is less than 10 years old, the total number from that day have catapulted. Which almost seamlessly brings us to reflect on the readings we just heard proclaimed.
The first reading from the second creation account reaches its culmination in the creation of woman as helping counterpart to the man. Genesis tells of a helper being provided to the man to be suitable to him. 60 years ago today we observe a bird’s eye view of Genesis’ words as we view that day occurring literally before out eyes. Its effects are right hear in front of you.
As we listened to St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we are struck by the list of Christian virtues topped by his striking definition of love as the “the bond of perfection”. Paul concludes these words by emphasizing a wish for peace, emphasizing communal worship, framed always by giving thanks. I can attest to this from my many trip to Furmato households from here, there, and everywhere.
In reflection on the Gospel from St. John, Jesus prays for future believers- and that includes us- that we will be unified with Himself, the Father and each other. God’s giving of his glory from God to Jesus, to the Church, This expresses our love for one another and our being able to convince the world around us. Most of the people gathered here to celebrate Matt and Lucy are related to each other, but all of us here today are somehow related to this wonderful couple. Perhaps an apt description is Family. And Prayer. Any need for his family is said prayer: before meals, after accidents and any time in between.
If you throw a pebble in a body of water, the ripples spread out further and further. The effects from our 60th anniversary couple, Lucy and Matt, are still spreading out even as we speak right now. May God bless you and your children, your siblings, your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And to conclude from my favorite group: remember “all you need is love.”