#7 Poetry and Reading Examples – Religious
These poems and readings might be used as “optional” readings, by someone you wish to include in your ceremony, or by your officiant.
Table of Contents
Page # Title
Poetry and Readings
1. Table of Contents
2. Anything Beautiful that You Have Came from God
3. Beatitudes
4. Believe
5. Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit – God’s Plans
6. Gifts from God
7. Love Reflects Love in Return
8. My Love
9. On Love – Love is Born of God
10. Only God
11. Starting Today
12. Strength to Love
13. Thank we all our God
14. To the Bride and Groom
Anything Beautiful that You Have Came from God (Author Unknown)
Remember, anything beautiful that you have, came from God.
In the beginning, God gave us our free will and our identity to walk this earth.
Don't ever try to change each other, because if you do,
you will lose exactly what you fell in love with.
So, each day try to find one more thing that is beautiful in your mate
and each day know that the next day will be more beautiful than the one before.
As long as you are doing this, you are seeking beauty, joy, and love in each other.
Beatitudes
Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor,
the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Happy are those who mourn, God will comfort them.
Happy are those who are humble,
they will receive what God has promised.
Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires;
God will satisfy them fully.
Happy are those who are merciful to others;
God will be merciful to them.
Happy are the pure of heart; they shall see God.
Happy are those who work for peace;
God will call them his children
Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires;
the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Believe
Believe, and you can achieve anything you desire.
When you looked into each other’s eyes you knew
That the two of you would soon acquire
A love that would be blessed and be true.
From yesterday, through today, and into tomorrow;
You’ll experience each day side by side.
With faith you’ll overcome all sorrow.
Your hearts will always be your guide.
Out of strength and purpose you will be shown
That life can resemble the heavens above.
It seems that you have always known
How essential it is to believe in love.
God’s gift is love that withstands the seasons.
He will make you thankful for every day.
Believe that God must have His reasons.
Believe, and trust, He knows the way.
With God’s guidance, and His grace,
More that you ask you will receive.
His plans for you, you will embrace.
You know the way is to believe.
Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit – God’s Plans
Please listen as I tell you of the Gifts and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit and God’s Plan for us.
We thank God for these gifts he has bestowed upon us. We pray that He will bless Groom and Bride with the grace of His Holy Spirit so that they may live according to his plans. In Jeremiah 29:11 it is written that the Lord declared: “For I know the plans I have for you…Plans to prosper you…Plans to give you hope and a future.”
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
· Wisdom helps us know how God wants us to live.
· Understanding helps us to be aware of all that God has taught us through Jesus, the Bible, and the Church.
· Knowledge helps us to know that God is more important than anything else in life.
· Right Judgment helps us make good decisions.
· Courage helps us to be strong when faced with problems.
· Reverence helps us to love God as our Father and to show our love in prayer.
· Wonder and Awe help us to be filled with wonder and thanks for all that God creates.
Fruits of the Holy Spirit
· Love is to accept and respect everyone unconditionally.
· Joy is knowing that Jesus' spirit is within us and allowing Him to be manifested through us in our love for one another.
· Peace involves mutual respect and confidence between peoples and nations.
· Patience is the willingness to wait for God's help.
· Kindness is making the world a better place to live when we help those closest to us - our family and neighbors.
· Goodness is to share our love for others by following Jesus.
· Faithfulness is our response and commitment to Him who lovingly touches our lives.
· Gentleness is made up of many things-understanding, sympathy, kindness, courtesy and tolerance.
· Self-control is using God's good things in balance.
Gifts from God (Author Unknown)
When God created man and placed him in the Garden of Eden he saw that it was not good for man to live alone, so God made a companion for man.
In this act of creation, God didn't take the woman from man's head, lest she should rule over him; nor from his feet, lest he should trample upon her- but from his side, that she should be equal with him, and close to his heart, that he should love, cherish, and honor her.
God presented woman to man for their mutual joy and that they may give to each other companionship, help, and comfort. Marriage is God's gift to deliver us from isolation and loneliness.
It is our opportunity to give each other the gifts of God and to receive the gifts of God from each other.
Love Reflects Love in Return from “The Divine Comedy” by Dante
The love of God, unutterable and perfect, flows into a pure soul
the way light rushes into a transparent object.
The more love we receive, the more love we shine forth;
so that, as we grow clear and open,
the more complete the joy of loving is.
And the more souls who resonate together,
the greater the intensity of their love for “mirror-like”,
each soul reflects the other.
My Love
My love, you set an example of living which I strive to reach.
To value love and truth above all else, is what you teach;
Certain things do not matter; such as beauty, wealth or fame.
Your openness in sharing your joy and talents means life is never tame.
Your love makes me more than I thought I could ever be.
It is the purpose of the rain and the rainbow, you help me to see.
You show me the way and give me faith to keep on believing;
Putting others first, because you know, giving is more rewarding than receiving.
Miracles always come tomorrow, that no one can explain.
You remind me that giving up is never an option that may remain.
Because you see what’s good in every person, you see the good in me;
Your love keeps my spirit alive, honest, true, and free.
I pray, with God’s grace, to give the same gifts to you.
My hope is that you will always know it is true;
In my love feel secure because you can
Be assured that our love - is a part of God’s plan.
On Love – Love is Born of God by Thomas à Kempis (An Augustinian Monk who lived from 1379/80-1471)
Love is a mighty power, a great and complete good.
Love alone lightens every burden, and makes rough places smooth.
It bears every hardship as though it were nothing,
And renders all bitterness sweet and acceptable.
Nothing is sweeter than love,
Nothing stronger,
Nothing higher,
Nothing wider,
Nothing more pleasant,
Nothing fuller or better in heaven or earth;
for love is born of God.
Love flies, runs and leaps for joy.
It is free and unrestrained.
Love knows no limits,
But ardently transcends all bounds.
Love feels no burden,
Takes no account of toil,
Attempts things beyond its strength.
Love sees nothing as impossible,
For it feels able to achieve all things.
It is strange and effective,
While those who lack love faint and fail.
Love is not fickle and sentimental,
Nor is it intent on vanities.
Like a living flame and a burning torch,
It surges upward and surely surmounts every obstacle.
Only God (Author Unknown)
Only God
Can take two people
He’s intended for each other
And guide them through the years
Till they discover one another
Only God
Can take two people
With their preferences and goals,
Then blend their gifts and talents
And unite their hearts and souls.
Only God
Can make two people
Believe each beautiful day
By trusting in His promises
Together they will always stay.
Only God
Can take two people
With the joys they’re dreaming of
And make them one in marriage
Through the miracle of love.
Starting Today (Author Unknown)
Starting today, and each day thereafter -
I will remind myself how important it is
That I reach out to you.
Gently, of course, first with my touch
Next with my eyes, so I see if my love
And yours reflect on to the other.
And finally with my words,
Sweet whispers for you alone.
Because I don’t want to miss feeling you
In any way ever again -
Starting today and each day thereafter.
Starting today, and each day thereafter -
I will remind myself how important it is
That I define my love for you.
Boldly, of course, first with my being.
Next with my mind, as it seeks
To communicate the depth of my feelings.
And, most importantly with my heart -
Which now beats only for God and for you.
Because I don’t want to miss loving you
In any way ever again -
Starting today, and each day thereafter.
Strength to Love (an excerpt from Martin Luther King, Jr.)
“The meaning of love is not to be confused
with some sentimental outpouring.
Love is something much more than emotional bosh.
An overflowing love which seeks nothing in return,
is the love of God operating in the human heart.
Love is the most durable power in the world –
the most potent instrument available
in mankind’s quest for peace and security.
The great military leaders of the past have gone,
and their empires have crumbled and burned to ashes.
But the empire of Jesus,
built solidly and majestically
on the foundation of love, is still growing.”
Thank We All Our God (Author Unknown)
Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom his world rejoices.
Who, from our mothers' arms,
Hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today.
All praise and thanks to God
The Father now be given,
The son, and him who reigns
With them in highest heaven.
The one eternal God,
Whom earth and heaven adore,
For thus it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.
To the Bride and Groom
Love has fascinated humans since the dawn of time. From the beginning of human thought, wise people have written about love, thought about love, and tried to understand the mystery of human love.
The Old Testament of the Bible and the great psalms contained many love stories. In later times, Paul wrote to the ancient Corinthians that no matter what we do, if we don’t have love, we become as sounding brass or clanging cymbal. Indeed, he said, love never fails.
In medieval times, the troubadours sang their love songs around the campfires and under the starry night skies of communities as they traveled across the continent of Europe.
And today, as all through the modern ages, what do we talk about, what do we think about, what do we sing about, what do we dream about?
There is a commercial on TV that shows all the attention received by a bride at her wedding – her flowers, her hairdo, her dress – and then asks, “but who is the bride looking at?” – and the answer is that she is looking at her beloved, in his simple black suit, and he is looking at her.
And so we come to this day, with Groom and Bride professing their love for one another, and pledging their vows.
This couple is entering a covenant to spend their lives together, and saying in effect; “I offer myself to you – the best of me – take me – I am yours – physically, spiritually, materially, in every way – so that together a WE can be formed to cherish and protect each other as long as we both shall live”.
May God bless you and protect you all the days of your lives, Groom and Bride.
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