4^th week after Pentecost:

There shall once more be heard

the voice of the bridegroom

and the voice of the bride.

(Jeremiah 33:10-11)

Saturday evening, Linda and I joined in a wedding celebration. Like the wedding at Cana of Galilee, this wedding too was held in the backyard of a spacious and beautiful home—the home of the bride.

When someone asked how it was that we were invited. Another explained, “Leron is Gary’s friend.” The bride was Gary’s granddaughter—the daughter of his daughter. Together, we had seen her from time to time—at a regional gymnastics event where we marveled at her courage. Later, when Gary was becoming less than Gary, we went together to watch her compete under the lights at a major High School soccer tournament. And now, we gather, without Gary, to join in this, her wedding day. Like me, but even more so, Gary would have marveled at her grace and beauty—at the sound of her voice.

When “the voice of the bride and bridegroom could no longer be heard in the land” (Jer 7:34, 16:9, 25:10) due to the scourge of pestilence and war; the prophet Jeremiah told of a day when “there shall once more be heard the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride” (33:10-11). It was a magical evening—a rehearsal for the great wedding feast that awaits us: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” (Rv 19:9). Gary will be there.