The Space to Grow.

            Having resumed public worship in All Saints with a baptism on Sunday, on Tuesday we had a socially distanced wedding.

            The gist of my homily was something like this:

            Today we celebrate two people coming together in marriage – a reminder that one of love’s powers is the power to draw people together. Through love we come close to one another; love is about intimacy.

            In these past few strange months we’ve been reminded of another side to love. All around the world, people have been separating themselves from one another, people have been staying apart, we observe a careful two metre distancing when we’re in the supermarket, the park, in church here just now; and we have been putting space between us out of love, to keep one another safe.

            Love’s power is the power to draw people close to one another, it finds expression in emotional and physical intimacy, but love can also find expression through separation and giving people space.

            And this isn’t a new discovery, but a reminder of a basic truth about love. There are all sorts of situations in which the loving thing to do is keep a little distance, give a little space.

            As we draw close to one another in love, our hearts and minds are fed, but without space, we cannot grow.

            So may the God of all love bless you in this coming together, this day of intimacy and closeness. And may the same God of love bless you with the confidence to give one another the space you will sometimes need. Let love feed you, nourish you, and give you the space to grow.