Bishop Powers blesses couples as they renew their wedding vows. (Photo credit: Mindy Hamilton)
Jenny Snarski
Catholic Herald staff
Bishop James P. Powers welcomed more than 80 couples to the Diocese of Superior’s annual Wedding Anniversary Mass and celebration on Saturday, July 18, at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Superior.
Twenty-seven of the Diocese of Superior’s 35 clusters were represented, as well as two parishes outside the diocese. Of special note were three sisters celebrating 55 years with their husbands, all married on June 12, 1971. They were Dan and Carol Gutt, of Champlin, Minnesota; Dallas and Sue Hildebrand, members of St. Joseph Church in Hayward; and Michael and Marla Konkol, who attend St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Merrill.
Eighteen couples celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, 10 celebrated 60 years and one couple, unable to attend, celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
Organizer Loree Nauertz, associate director of the Office of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship and leader of the Office of Marriage and Family, commented, “It is such a blessing each year to gather at the cathedral to celebrate Mass with Bishop (Powers) and all those who have persevered through the years of marriage.
“Those present came to gather around the altar to offer the perfect sacrifice back to the Father as they thank him for his gift of grace, a gift that has allowed them to persevere through the joys and sorrows of the Sacrament of Marriage.”
“Their witness of love,” Nauertz noted, “is a beautiful testimony of what couples are capable to doing when they let God into their marriage.” She personally thanked them for taking the time to celebrate with Christ at the center and to receive Bishop’s special blessing upon their marriages.
In his homily, Bishop Powers welcomed all present and those participating via Facebook livestream. Giving the customary thanks to those who helped plan and organize the event, he mentioned that their efforts stress “how very important each and every one of you couples are to us” and an acknowledgement of their marriages’ witness.
Addressing the range of anniversaries being celebrated, he said, “For many of you, you’re probably still just learning each other’s likes and habits, but for others I’m guessing you can finish each other’s sentences … that might be good or bad.
“Some of you are still discovering the hopes, the joys, the challenges of young family life; others have witnessed your own children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren becoming part of your story.”
He continued, “As varied and diverse as you are, each and every one of you have one thing in common – the fact that your union has been sustained by the grace of God.
“To each of you I say congratulations and thank you. In our world, where making a commitment so often seems impossible, or temporary at best, your marriages give witness to the truth, that lasting faithful love is possible because our God is ever faithful.”
The bishop included a humorous story about a couple whose secret for marriage was shared by an older man with a younger one. The older one said, ‘We made the promise to never go to bed angry.’ ‘Really?’ asked the younger man, to which the older admitted, ‘there were times one of us was awake for three days.’
Bishop Powers shared this moment of laughter to make the point that both laughter and being real about the challenges of marriage is a gift, and necessary.
“The question isn’t whether there’s going to be disagreements, the question is whether or not, when the challenges happen, we choose love over pride, forgiveness over resentment and unity over separation.”
Commenting on the Mass readings, the bishop distinguished between contracts and covenants: “Contracts are business agreements or arrangements based on conditions, bargaining. It’s an ‘I’ll do this if you do that.’ Covenants are based solely on faithful love, and our God never abandons the covenant he’s made with us, even when we break our part of the covenant…
“Each and every one are called to reflect that same faithful love to the other,” he offered. “Not a 50-50 proposition, but a 100-100; a total sacrificial love every single day of your lives.
“On the day that you were married and held each other’s hands, exchanging your wedding vows, our God wrapped his hands around yours … As you spoke your wedding vows, he promised to give you the grace and strength needed to be true to all you vowed that day. You became a sacramental sign for all the world to see.”
Bishop Powers added that, in the many details of everyday life, from child-raising to growing old together, a couple renews their vows, “And I still do.” He then gave concrete examples of living out St. Paul’s description of love in the epistle reading from 2 Corinthians.
“Not just words that you taught your children,” he encouraged, “but hopefully truth that you taught by how you treated each other. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
He asserted that St. Paul isn’t describing a fairy tale romance. He is saying that “real, true love rooted in Christ never loses its power.” When couples remain connected to Christ, they receive his strength and offer it to others.
Reflecting on the Gospel of the Wedding of Cana – Jesus’ first miracle, which occurred at an ordinary family celebration, he asked, “How often in your marriage were there moments when the wine ran out?
“Maybe it was the wine of patience, of romance, health, finances or even the wine of hope. Every marriage has those moments, and Mary teaches us what to do.
“Bring your needs to Jesus … Do whatever he tells you. Six words can transform a marriage – when Jesus is invited into a marriage, the ordinary becomes extraordinary – routine becomes joy, sacrifice becomes blessing, and forgiveness, peace.
“Continue to work at your marriage,” Bishop Powers concluded. “Continue to put the other first. As you renew your wedding vows today, know that the greatest miracle of Cana wasn’t that Jesus turned the water into wine, but that Jesus was present and his presence makes all the difference.
“My friends, thank you for letting the Lord be a part of your lives. Thank you for coming here today to celebrate the gift, the treasure that you are to the church and all the world.”
He ended offering a prayer that “today and every day” the Lord God would continue to watch over, guide, guard, bless and protect each and every couple present, “every day for the rest of your lives.
“Don’t ever forget that command of our Blessed Mother … Do whatever Jesus tells you.”
