"Three Weddings"

i have seen brides shed tears on their wedding day, but it doesn't interest me as much as when i see the groom in tears. my friend, Jacob, asked me to be in his wedding at the Outer Banks of North Carolina about four years ago, and i did so gladly. being that i wasn't closer to him than some of the other groomsmen, i found myself the furthest from Jacob, yet surprisingly positioned so that i could clearly see his face. as his bride, Kelly, appeared in the threshold of the chapel, she gleamed with happiness, yet when i turned to survey Jabob's joy, i only saw his hands over his face; immediately revealing that he was weeping. i almost began weeping too, until i told myself, "Sraighten up cracker, you're not even getting married!" it wasn't until recently i remembered this occurance when i visited Augusta for the wedding ceremony of my friends Matt and Carly. for as soon as the bride stepped into the chapel and everyone turned in honor, all my concentration was geared on getting a glimpse of the groom's demeanor. i was seated pretty far in the back (such is the remnant for ushers), and though my perspective was poor, i'm pretty sure Matt had a reddening of the eyes. it's not like him to show his emotions when it's all on the line.

nevertheless, he wept. then i thought, "if marriage is really a metaphor, like food and fire and cheese that we humans wrestle with in reality, i wonder what my Savior might do from wedding ceremony to wedding ceremony (i use that language because there is, of course, no "during" in eternity). you may say, a fallen wretch cries out of unworthiness; that's why your friends cried. but what about unfettered, naked joy? will Christ cover his face because of His magnanimous radiance--wishing to protect our resurrected eyes, or will His hands hide tears at the sight of His long-awaited bride?... yet we read in Scripture that God the Father will wipe every tear away (Revelation 21:4a/4b--note the segmentattion in emphasis and development of idea between the first and second part of the verse, almost supposing after the consolation of the Father, there will be no etc, no etc, and no crying...), so the flippantly dogmatic, presumptiously doctrinal, and bromidically safe answer assumes that there will be no tears shed in heaven from the saints, especially none from God the Son (emphasis added)! well if that's the case, where do the tears originate, which God the Father will wipe away i wonder (emphasis added)? it may be unlikely, but i wouldn't put it beyond the God of inversion who constantly amazes and loves.

We hear the words within the tune
as double doors are swung;
her train is following;
her chiffon veil is hung;
her radiance--the moon:
a parable with wings,
and as the people's gaze conducted her
another thing would then occur
a man wept in his hands before the room
that's why i always face the groom.

Arising with the witnesses,
heads on a swivel turn:
her dress is burning white;
her heart has lost concern;
her eyes are where her treasure is:
an illustrated sight,
and though her beauty couldn’t be denied
I didn’t focus on the bride,
because a man was weeping in the room
that’s why I always face the groom.

He stands astonished and assured
as he has always done
her cautious gait concealed
her evident upon
her claim that she’s been pured:
a metaphor's revealed,
yet as she rambles to the royal throne
she fully knows she’s fully known
a Man starts weeping in the boundless room
again I’m forced to face the Groom.

by Wm. Rieppe Moore