Best Wedding Sermon Ever – "Love is as strong as death" (Song of Songs 2:8-10, 14, 16a; 8:6-7a; 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:8a; Gospel: John 2:1-11)

Dear [Name] and [Name], family and friends, we gather today in the presence of God to celebrate a sacred covenant of love. As we begin, let us ask God's blessing on this couple: May the Lord who has brought you together strengthen your hearts in faithful love. Amen.

Today, we reflect on a profound truth from Scripture that will serve as the foundation of your marriage: "Love is strong as death." This powerful declaration from the Song of Songs reveals the enduring, unquenchable nature of authentic love – a love that, like Christ's love for His Church, withstands every challenge and transcends every limitation.

The readings you've chosen speak eloquently of this love that conquers all. In the Song of Songs, we hear the beloved exclaim: "Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave" (Song 8:6). This ancient love poetry captures a profound truth: authentic love bears the character of permanence. Just as death is inevitable and irreversible, so too is the covenant of love you make today – a bond not easily broken, a commitment that endures through every season of life.

This permanence finds its fullest expression in St. Paul's famous words to the Corinthians: "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" (1 Cor 13:7-8). Notice how Paul emphasizes love's perseverance – it "bears," it "endures," it "never fails." This isn't mere romantic sentiment; it's the very nature of divine love, the love that flows from God's heart into yours, enabling you to love each other with steadfast fidelity.

And in the Gospel of John, we witness Jesus performing his first miracle at the wedding feast in Cana (John 2:1-11). It's significant that Christ chose a wedding to reveal his glory. By transforming water into wine – and not just any wine, but the finest wine – Jesus shows us that divine love transforms ordinary human love into something extraordinary. The best is saved for those who persevere, who remain faithful when the initial "wine" of passion and excitement runs dry.

[Name] and [Name], this theme of "love is strong as death" will be lived out in your marriage through daily choices to remain faithful, to forgive, and to place each other's good above your own desires. In the words of the Song of Songs, you declare to each other today: "My beloved is mine and I am his" (Song 2:16). This mutual belonging isn't about possession but about a freely chosen, total gift of self – a gift that, like Christ's gift on the cross, holds nothing back.

The Catholic understanding of marriage illuminates this strength of love. The Church teaches that marriage is not merely a contract but a covenant – a sacred bond formed by God Himself. When you exchange consent today, God seals your love with His grace, making your union a living sign of Christ's unbreakable love for His Church. This sacramental grace will empower you to love each other with a love that is indeed "strong as death" – faithful, fruitful, and forever.

To nurture this death-defying love in your marriage, consider these practical commitments:

First, prioritize prayer together. Just as the water at Cana was transformed by Christ's presence, so too will your love be transformed and strengthened through daily connection with God. In prayer, you'll find the grace to love when loving feels impossible.

Second, practice the virtues St. Paul describes in your first reading. Love that is patient, kind, not envious or boastful, not arrogant or rude. These aren't abstract ideals but concrete choices you'll make each day – to speak kindly when tired, to listen patiently when frustrated, to forgive quickly when hurt.

Third, remember that your love is not meant to be enclosed but to overflow. Like the abundant wine at Cana, your love should bring joy to others. Your marriage is called to be a witness of Christ's faithful love in a world desperate for such witness.

[Name] and [Name], as the Song of Songs reminds us, "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it" (Song 8:7). The strength of your love will be tested by the waters of hardship and the floods of trial, but these cannot overcome a love sealed by God and nourished by grace. In those moments when your own strength falters, remember that your love is sustained by a love stronger than death itself – the love of Christ, who conquered death and promises to remain with you always.

May God, who has joined your hearts in love, continue to perfect that love in you all the days of your life.