Two billion people watched the marriage ceremony of Prince William to Kate Middleton. It seems that the whole England embraced the occasion with street parties and family celebrations. Part of it is due of course, to the fact that William and Kate will eventually become our future King and Queen; but probably much was just an excuse to have a party. As far as the actual ceremony itself there really was only five minutes when the vows of marriage were declared; the rest was pure pomp.
Their vows to each other expressed both their love but also their commitment to each other; a union of male and female. Since the beginning of time the life force that flows through us all meant that male and female sought partners both for companionship and for creation. This commitment to each other for a shared future ensured that human-kind survived. But as commitments could be a fragile thing structures and rules were also created. Organized religion took the lead for example with ten commandments for acceptable social behaviour, and since then ensured that God is at the heart of the marriage vow. He is seen as both witness and ally for the couple. Unfortunately many modern married couples treat these vows as a promise — a commitment with clauses — and divorce when disappointed with failures to meet expectations.
Jesus’ message in Thomas is all about this union of the spirit; “two will become one”. He likens it to a wedding in logion 75:
But the ‘loners’ are they who shall enter the marriage place
Notice that we do not enter as a couple, but as a lone seeker to meet with our ‘partner’ in this special place; this Divine Centre. Later when asked to fast and pray He indicates how important, how very important, this place is.
Jesus said:
They said to him:
come let us pray today and let us fast
Jesus said:
What therefore is the sin that I have committed
or in what way have I been overcome?
But when the bridegroom comes forth from the bridal chamber
then let them fast and let them pray Logia 104
The implication in this logion that we remain in this special place; we have made our vow of commitment. And if we falter, then we need to recover and by further seeking we can once again return to this Divine Centre
Do we then need to renew our vows of commitment to remaining in that special place?