Page 51 of Acts of Contrition
I nod; I had no idea a marriage certificate was even needed, and I realize there is so much about the world I still don’t know.
“Hey.” Thomas runs a hand through my hair. “Whatever worried you just now, it’s all right. We will work on it all … together.”
I nod and smile at him. I believe him.
“If we can proceed?” Oliver asks, gesturing to us to come to the altar. “Have you ever been to church in the outside world, Diana?”
“We were Catholic; I was Confirmed not long before my father passed away,” I reply.
He nods. “So you understand the act of Communion; the consumption of the Body and Blood of Christ. We do not do it weekly here. Here, it is symbolic of becoming one in body and soul in marriage.”
He produces what I assume is holy water and it's confirmed when Thomas takes it and makes the Sign of the Cross, so I do the same.
Father Oliver then produces the wafer, beginning to speak.
“In Him, two become one. Of one flesh, one spirit, one mind. A bond for eternity no man can put asunder. The Body and Blood shall bind you both forevermore to each other, and in steadfast service to the First Church of the New Disciples.”
He places the wafer in each of our hands and I let it dissolve on my tongue as I was taught to do eleven years ago.
Father Oliver then pours a small measure of wine into a golden goblet, also similar to the one my old church used. But he doesn’t stop there. He also produces a small, gold-hilted dagger that appears to match the cup.
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul,” he recites. “Thomas, your hand.”
Thomas holds his hand out, palm up, and Father Oliver pricks his fingertip with the blade. Blood wells up, and Oliver turns the finger so the blood drips into the goblet.
Thomas licks his fingertip to stop the bleeding and my mind and body decide to go to war: my body likes the action, my mind is horrified that I’m going to drink literalblood.
“Diana?” Father Oliver looks at me expectantly.
“The pain is fine; you’ll like it,” Thomas promises me, resting a hand on the middle of my back.
I nod and hold my right hand out, and the blade pierces the skin of my index finger. It doesn’t hurt much, not even when the blood wells up. Oliver turns my hand over and lets three drops fall into the goblet before releasing me.
Do I just do what Thomas did to clean the blood?
I don’t have to ponder, as my very-near-future-husband takes my hand in his and gently kisses the blood away. All of a sudden, I need to remember how to breathe and that my knees are solid, not made of jelly.
Thomas must see the look in my eyes, because he smiles knowingly before dropping my hand. There’s a bit of blood on his lower lip and he licks it away.
“The Blood of Christ; the blood of union,” Father Oliver says, offering the goblet to Thomas, who takes it and drinks. When he removes it from his lips, they’re stained just a bit with red once more.
My turn.
My last chance.
I take the goblet and drink, thankfully not tasting anything except wine, which I realize quickly I do not like.
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
“So says the Lord. We gladly welcome our new member into the community, Diana Hill, heretofore known as Diana Hansen, as she joins with our esteemed Brother Thomas Hansen in holy matrimony.
“The Lord sent our future pastor the perfect bride to mold, to shape, to keep, and to love. Let neither party forget the blessings the Lord has given them; let them forever rejoice in the divine love, hard-won and pure.
“Thomas, do you take Diana to be your spouse, from here to forevermore, including in the arms of the Lord in Heaven? To cherish, protect, and honor; to punish and to reward?”
Thomas looks at me, not Father Oliver, and says, “I do. Forevermore.”
“Do you, Diana, take Thomas as your spouse, from here to forevermore, including in the arms of the Lord in Heaven? To cherish, respect, and honor; to walk beside and surrender?”
