Is this Gospel too theological for a wedding?

It rewards a homilist who can carry the weight. With a strong preacher, it can be the most luminous Gospel of all. With a less prepared one, it may land flat. Discuss with your celebrant in advance.

Gospel Reading

John 17:20-26

"That they may be one"

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Scripture text (World English Bible)

Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world hasn’t known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me. I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Themes

that they may be one
unity in love
the high priestly prayer
the marriage as participation in Trinitarian love
Christian witness

Reflection

John 17 is sometimes called Jesus' "high priestly prayer": the prayer he offers to the Father on the night before he dies. The verses chosen for the wedding lectionary lift up the heart of that prayer: "that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you." Jesus is praying for unity, and the unity he asks for is nothing less than the unity that exists between the Father and the Son.

For a Catholic couple, this is an astonishing Gospel to choose. It places the unity of your marriage inside the unity of the Trinity itself. The Catholic tradition has always taught that marriage is a sacramental sign of divine love, and Catholic theology has often said that marriage participates, in a creaturely way, in the perichoresis: the mutual indwelling of the Persons of the Trinity. John 17 is the scriptural ground of that teaching.

The reading also names the missionary purpose of this unity: "that the world may believe." A unified Christian marriage is one of the most compelling witnesses the world ever sees. In a culture of broken commitments, two people who actually live in faithful love over decades make God's reality available in a way that no argument ever could. The marriage is, in this sense, evangelistic by its very existence.

For couples drawn to the deepest Trinitarian theology, who understand their marriage as a small participation in the love of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, John 17 is the most theologically rich Gospel option.

Best for

·Couples drawn to deep Trinitarian theology
·Marriages where shared mission or witness to the world is part of the vocation
·Weddings during the Easter season (these chapters are read at daily Mass)
·Couples for whom Christian unity (ecumenical or interfaith) is a defining concern

In the liturgy

Among the longer Gospel options. Theologically dense; rewards a homilist who can articulate the Trinitarian dimension. Less commonly chosen than John 15 passages, but distinctively rich.

Pairs well with

Frequently asked questions

Is this Gospel too theological for a wedding?: It rewards a homilist who can carry the weight. With a strong preacher, it can be the most luminous Gospel of all. With a less prepared one, it may land flat. Discuss with your celebrant in advance.

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