Yes, Thelma and I are giving away in marriage our second daughter, Dana, on 07 February, 2009. I am announcing it officially since the “Pamanhikan” is done and the preparations for the Church and reception venues are already made. Even the future home of the couple has been blessed! Only the invites are yet to be given out.
Dana’s preparations have not yet reached fever-pitch level, but just the same I am now preparing myself for yet another emotional letting go of another beloved daughter.
And so call it serendipity or what, but last night while reading my assigned topic to reflect on and write about for a magazine, I was struck by the account of Jesus’ presentation in the Temple to the Lord by His parents Joseph and Mary (Luke 2:22), and started to see its message as parallel or similar to giving away a child in marriage.
Allow me to elaborate.
Thelma and I have always said that our goal as parents is to give up our children in the end after having prepared them properly for life. And we consider our mission accomplished when we accompany them to the altar on their wedding day.
Traditionally, we see this giving away of our children at wedding rites as giving them up to their respective spouses. That is what I had in mind when Thelma and I accompanied our son Nico for his wedding rites with Cecille. And that is what we told Jay, when we gave away our eldest child, Pizza, in marriage to him.
Today after reflecting on Luke 2:22, I can now look at the rite of giving away Dana in marriage as a presentation of her to the Lord as if saying: “Here she is now, dear God. We have done our part to prepare her for life. Our mission is done. Take her with you as she begins to lead a new life with her spouse.”
With some heaviness of heart, Thelma and I will give up Dana in marriage 127 days from today. The thought, however, of giving her up to God as a present and knowing we have done our best to prepare her for married life makes the letting go much easier and even pleasant!
By the way, today is also exactly 85 days before Christmas. Yes, I have started counting the days before Christmas once again!
1 comments:
Hi, Danny, Wow! Another wedding. Before you know it, there will only be you and Thelma left!
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