Chapter 10

Wedding

After Mary and Jenny had finished dressing Catherine, Mary gazed at her, s. She was absolutely lovely; she said as much to her and then left to join the others in the chapel.

"You look stupendous!" Jenny exclaimed, "That hunk of yours is a lucky guy." She gave Catherine a hug.

"I’m the lucky one Jen," Catherine said, giving her friend’s hand a squeeze. "I’m glad you’re with me today."

"I wouldn’t miss it for the world, c! Come on, let’s go or you’ll be late for your own wedding."

Laughing, they exited the chamber, . Jenny was in the lead and when she made a turn Catherine questioned her.

"I don’t think you’re going the right way."

"Yes I am," she replied. "Vincent showed me a different way so the wind wouldn’t blow your hair all over the place." She mentally crossed her fingers hoping Catherine wouldn’t question her further. Shortly they came to an opening, Catherine stood at the entrance of an unfamiliar chamber. Jenny had passed through and was collecting little Cathy from Lena. Suddenly Peter stepped up beside her,

"Cathy you look lovely." He kissed her on the cheek.

Catherine looked around the chamber. There were candles everywhere along with red and white roses. There were rows and rows of benches all filled with tunnel dwellers and helpers, people that had become friends and family to her. As her gaze swept the crowd she saw Vincent directly opposite her at the end of the aisle. Their eyes locked and the world melted away. He was resplendent in black velvet pants tucked into tall black leather-riding boots. A white, V-neck shirt with billowing sleeves cuffed tightly around the wrists covered his upper body. The pointed collar lay over a black velvet tunic length vest with silver embroidery running down the edges. He took her breath away and soon she would be married to this wonderful man.

Peter drew her hand into the crook of his elbow as the music started, a single violin playing Jesus Joy of Man’s Desiring. The two started down the aisle preceded by little Cathy, who was throwing out rose petals from her basket, and Jenny.

Vincent felt Catherine’s presence before he actually saw her. He gloried in the love and excitement he felt emanating from her through the bond, matching his own feelings. When he saw her at the entrance his heart skipped a beat, s. She was a vision. The world narrowed to hold only her. She appeared to be floating toward him anchored only by Peter. When they reached him Peter placed Catherine’s hand in his and stepped back to his place by Father. Jenny stood on Catherine’s left and Devin was at Vincent’s right. Their eyes were only on each other until a throat being cleared rather loudly broke their trance. Catherine turned her head to see who had made the sound and gasped.

"Bish what are you doing?" He was in the vestments of a Catholic priest. She stared past him at the make shift altar, taking in the crucifix and the rest of the trappings of a mass. Her gaze shifted back to the Bishop, then to Vincent questioningly.

Vincent smiled, "Catherine may I present the Most Reverend Bishop Jack McKenzie late of St. Patrick’s Cathedral."

Catherine looked back at the Bishop with her mouth open.

"My dear, as my sainted mother use to say, close your mouth or you’ll be catching fly’sflies. I’m here because your Vincent wanted to give you your dream of a church wedding."

She looked back to Vincent with tears brimming her eyes. Vincent smiled squeezing her hand.

"Are you ready Catherine?"

She nodded and the Bishop began the nuptial mass with the sign of the cross.

Vincent had wanted to involve as many of his friends and family in the mass as possible to share in what would be the most wonderful day of his life. After the opening prayers the couple with their attendants sat to one side of the altar to hear the readings Vincent had chosen.

The first reading was from the Old Testament Song of Songs*, which was read by Emily, she managed to get through it with only a few dabs of her handkerchief.

When she had returned to her seat Mary got up to lead the responsorial psalm. Vincent had chosen Psalm 23 the Lord Is My Shepherd** something Mary had taught him as a young child. It had always been one of her favorites and she was pleased that Vincent had remembered it.

The second reading from the New Testament was given by Father from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 13:1-8***. It was the reading he and Margaret had chosen for their own wedding and his voice cracked a few times with the memory of it.

As Father returned to his seat, the Bishop stood motioning for the congregation to stand as he moved to the lectern to read the Gospel according to John 15:12-16****.

When he had finished reading everyone resumed their seats. He swept the crowd with a gaze, feeling the love and fellowship these people had for each other and for the couple sitting beside him.

"My dear friends in Christ we have come here today to celebrate the union of two very special people. Their journey has not been an easy one. There have been many twists and turns in the road, but together they faced every hardship and won through. Their trials only made them stronger, brought them closer together, made them realize how precious life is and that it shouldn’t be wasted. God has smiled upon these two wonderful people and we are privileged to be a part of their love which is great enough to include all of us."

Moving in front of the alter he beckoned Vincent and Catherine to stand before him, Devin and Jenny on either side. Catherine handed her bouquet to Jenny and took Vincent’s hand.

"Vincent and Catherine have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?"

They both said, "I have."

"Will you love and honor each other as husband and wife?"

Vincent gave Catherine’s hand a little squeeze at the word wife. "I will," they said.

"Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?"

Catherine smiled giving his hand a squeeze at the word children. "I will."

Looking over the congregation and then at the two people in front of him he announced, "they have written their own vows which they would like to say to each other with all of you as witnesses." He then nodded to Vincent to begin.

Taking both her hands in his he gazed deeply into her eyes, "Catherine, there was a moment when the way was still new and I was afraid to hope. You put your hand on mine, nothing ever felt like that to me, like your touch. I wanted to weep. You turned and looked at me; your eyes were filled with dancing light and I was bathed in your warmth and I believed in that moment that even for me all things were possible. In that moment, in your light, I felt what it is to be beautiful. Please know how deeply I love you, that I will love you with all that I am, and with all that I hope to become until the end of my days."

There were tears in her eyes as he ended, clearing her throat she began.

"Vincent before I met you my life was meaningless, directionless, I was concerned with no one but myself. But three years ago today on that horrible, wonderful night you came into my life. You showed me I had the strength and the courage to become a useful, caring person, to do something worthwhile with myself, to become someone you could admire and love. You had faith in me. You showed me what it was like to be truly loved for myself. You have saved my life time and time again without regard for you own for that I will be forever grateful because you have enabled me to be here with you today to tell you that I love you with every fiber of my being for now and for always and I’m so very proud to have you for my husband."

It was Vincent’s turn to have tears brimming his eyes; he quickly blinked them away as the Bishop asked for the rings. Jenny and Devin placed them on the open bible the Bishop was holding. He blessed them and Vincent took Catherine’s ring placing it on her finger saying:

"Catherine take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity."

She looked down as he gently slid the ring on her trembling finger and gasped as she saw it for the first time. It was so beautiful and delicate it suited her finger to perfection. The green of the "C" stones and the blue of the "V" ones perfectly matching their eye colors, and where the green overlaid the blue, the color of that union turned into the color of the sea off the Bermuda coast, a breathtaking blue/green. The gold filigree that held the stones in place was so finely wrought so delicate that it was almost invisible, but for where it wrapped around underneath her finger in two strands. She looked back up at Vincent tears brimming her eyes and mouthed, "its beautiful."

Then Catherine took Vincent’s ring from the bible and placed it on his finger. It gleamed against his golden fur proudly showing the ruby and diamond it held in the midst of the twin roses. She beamed up at him, her smile lighting up her face; tl They did ithad done it: they were married. His smile was just as wide as hers, his canines gleaming in the candlelight, and his eyes bright with tears of joy.

Together they moved to the alter where Rebecca had placed the special candles she had made for them. The white for Catherine, the red for Vincent, and the pink unity candle which stood between the two. They each took their individual candle and together lit the unity candle while Rebecca came forward and read:

"May the blessing of light,

Be with you always,

Light without and light within,

And may the sun shine

Upon you and warm your heart

Until it glows

Like a great fire

So that others may feel

The warmth of your love

For one another.

Then they signed Father’s journal, which recorded all the births, deaths and joinings of the tunnel community.

The mass continued with Jaime leading the intercessions after which Rolly played Panis Angelicus as Kanin and Olivia brought up the gifts. The rest of the mass seemed surreal to Catherine. She was aware of everything going on around her, but it seemed like it was all at such a distance from her. What was close and real was Vincent, the touch of his hand enclosing hers, the feel of the ring on her finger declaring that she was his, the bond pulsing with their love flowing back and forth between them. She came back to herself when the Bishop stood before them offering them communion.

The communion hymn, being played on the little portable organ, was the Ave Maria by Bach, but as the Catholics of the community came forward to receive the music segued into the Schubert version. She looked at Vincent who shrugged, "I couldn’t decide which one so we have both," he whispered. He’s another Solomon thought Catherine smiling happily.

Everyone stood as the Bishop gave the final blessing bringing the mass to a close then made the announcement everyone wanted to hear. "My dear friends may I present Catherine and Vincent Wells. Vincent you may kiss your bride."

Vincent took Catherine in his arms holding her close, she tilted her face up to him, their lips met and the world once again disappeared. The community erupted in cheers and applause. Rolly began the Wedding March by Mendelssohn, gleefully pounding out the chords. Vincent roared loudly unable to contain it any longer. He swept Catherine up into his arms and strode up the aisle. This would be a day that he would never forget, to hold the woman that he loved more than life in his arms and to know that she was his forever, never more to be parted from one another.

*Song of Songs

My Beloved lifts up his voice, he says to me,

Come then, my love, my lovely one, come.

My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock.

In the coverts of the cliff, show me your face,

Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet

And you face is beautiful.

My beloved is mine and I am his.

Set me like a seal on your heart, like a seal on your arm.

For love is strong as Death, jealousy relentless as Sheol.

The flash of it is a flash of fire, a flame of the Lord himself.

Love no flood can quench, no torrents drown.

**Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 23

Response: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want

All: The Lord is my shepherd there is nothing I shall want

Fresh and green are the pastures

Where he gives me repose.

Near restful waters he leads me,

To revive my drooping spirit. R/

He guides me along the right path;

He is true to his name.

If I should walk in the valley of darkness

No evil would I fear.

You are there with your crook and your staff;

With these you give me comfort. R/

You have prepared a banquet for me

In the sight of my foes.

My head you have anointed with oil;

My cup is overflowing. R/

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me

All the days of my life.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell

Forever and ever.

*** St. Paul to the Corinthians 13:1-8

I may be able to speak the languages of men and even of angels, but if I have not love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains-but if I have not love, I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned-but if I have not love, it does me no good.

Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes. Love does not come to an end.

****Gospel according to John 15:12-17

My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you. The greatest love a man can have for his friends is to give his life for them. And you are my friends, if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me; I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures. And so the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name. This, then, is what I command you: love one another.

To reception

Revised 5/3/06