Twenty One Couples Tie the Knot In A Colourful Ceremony

As we entered into the second week of Advent 2023 we were all called to "Stay Awake" as we do not know when Jesus Our Lord will return. He will come as a thief in the night. Couples currently living together without sacramental matrimony were called to take God seriously when He tells us to live a life which is pleasing to Him. While addressing his homily, on 10th December 2023, during the family day of Mary Immaculate Catholic Parish, Kerugoya, the Rt. Rev. James Maria Wainaina reiterated the importance of the Sacrament of Matrimony in the Catholic Church. He stated that living a life without it is living a life without God which is living in total hell.

The Archbishop went further to liken a good marriage which starts with a church ceremony with cooking and eating good food. When we Agikuyu decide to prepare a dish of green bananas (marigu), we usually first remove the outer green peel. We then go further to cook the bananas in a stew with mince meat and potatoes. We serve this meal with a side dish of either spinach or shredded cabbage and carrots. Such a dish served to a family during the evening meal is delicious and nutritious giving life, strength and growth to the body. In a similar way, when a couple starts their marriage with the sacrament of matrimony, it opens the way to receiving the other sacraments such as confession (reconciliation) and the Body and Blood of Christ which are some of the spiritual foods needed by every believing Catholic.

He also gave an example of the opposite type of couple who choose to live without the sacrament of matrimony. There were likened to people who were living by eating "peels" (makoro). Eating the peels of green bananas brings no nutrients nor life or even growth to the body. Likewise, when they choose to live outside sacrament they are unable to go for confession and to receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. They live in a state of continual sin. Such a life is unholy and does not please God at all.

St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians Chapter 5 Verses 1 to 20 calls the new converts to Christianity to live holy lives without even the mention of "fornication, or impurity in any of its forms nor promiscity, which would hardly become the saints." St. Paul likens such a life to "worshipping a false god." Such people will not inherit the Kingdom of God. He calls them to come out of the darkness they once lived in and to walk in the light, in the Lord Jesus Christ.

All the Catholic faithful who gathered at the Mary Immaculate Catholic Parish in Kerugoya, Kirinyaga County to celebrate family day were called to say "NO" to the current trend of men marrying men and women marrying women. He further advised them to completely refuse the notion of a man marrying a group of women and a woman marrying a group of men. Such practices, which we are witnessing in our modern times, were never the plan of God for the procreation of man kind. Genesis Chapter 2 Verses 1 to 25 reads that God created Adam and Eve. His plan then and now, was that the man and the woman would marry and create a home. Within this home and in family life would children be born.

The year 2023 in the Catholic Diocese of Murang'a was a truly special year. It was the year of the Eucharist. The five pillars were to Believe, Celebrate, Receive, Adore and Commune. Throngs of Catholic faithful in the counties of Kirinyaga and Murang'a joined together throughout the year in Adoration and Pilgrimages. Many were the testimonies given of the many miracles received thereafter.

One of the biggest miracles that we witnessed on 10th December 2023 was 21 couples agreeing to be joined together in the sacrament of martimony and to receiving holy communion thereafter. This came after living together for years out of sacrament. As they exchanged vows, loud were the shouts of jubilation from the onlookers. The congregation broke into popular Agikuyu wedding songs such as "Nii Uhoro Mwenga Atia" and "Muhiki na Muhikiana".

Following the end of the El Nino rains, the day dawned beautiful and tranquil. Although there was a hint of rain, white clouds could be seen far off in the horizon against a bright blue sky. The people came from Kagumo, Kibingo, Kiaritha, Ngaru, Kabuti, Kimuri, Kimande and far beyond. By 10am the seats under the yellow, red and white PMC tents were already filled up. Late comers found alternative seating on the well manicured gardens of the parish, all looking towards the outdoor altar dressed in white, gold and yellow.

Couples had their own seating positions on church benches specially placed in the middle of the ceremony site. Brides were dressed in long flowing wedding dresses, in veils and high heels. Other couples chose to dress in the same colour; some wore blue, others cream, some preferred blush pink still others chose grey.

This day of celebrations ended on a high note with the cutting of a very large wedding cake. We at Dorothy Humphrey's Weddings wish these couples many happy joyful days ahead. May they go ahead and create warm, loving, caring homes like the one of Jesus, Mary and Joseph of Nazareth.