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John
and Catherine, please face each other and hold hands, so you may feel
the gift that you are to one another.
These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with
love, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love
each other all the days of your lives.
These are the hands that will work alongside yours, that will give you
support and encouragement, as together you build your future and share
your innermost hopes and dreams.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you
through the years, for a lifetime of happiness and that even when wrinkled
with time will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same
unspoken tenderness with just a touch.
These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children and help you
hold your family as one.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe tears from your eyes;
tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, console you when you
are grieving and hold you tight, offering you strength and courage in the
face of adversity.
These are the hands that will enter the Sacrament of Matrimony. These four
hands will be your armor and shield against the evils and temptations of
the world.
These are the hands that will reach out, first to each other, then united,
will spread your love and your sacrament to all they touch.
God, bless these hands that you see before you this day. May they always
be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the
storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment. Keep them tender and
gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love. Help
these hands to continue building a relationship founded in your grace,
rich in caring, and devoted in reaching for your perfection. May John and
Catherine see their four hands as healer, protector, shelter, and guide.
We
ask this in your name, Amen.
*rewritten
by Catherine, original author unknown.
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