Marriage Song (various verses taken from ‘Song of Solomon’ in the Old Testament)
I will search for the one my heart loves; hold and not let go. Like a lily among thorns is my darling among maidens; like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my love among young men. My lover is mine and I am his. I charge you—do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. I will lead you and bring you to my mother’s house—she who has taught me. My lover spoke and said to me; see the winter is past and the season of singing has come. Arise; come my darling, my beautiful one—come with me! You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down. His banner over me is love; his right arm embraces me. Catch the foxes; the little foxes that ruin the vineyard—our vineyard that is in bloom. Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is a strong as death. This is my lover, this is my friend; I am my lover’s, and my lover is mine.
1 Corinthians 13 (the ‘Love’ Chapter)
If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth, but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move---without love, I would be no good to anybody! If I gave everything I have to the poor, and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will all disappear. Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little! But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear. It's like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now. There are three things that will endure--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.
Ephesians 5: 22-33 (Matthew 19: 4-6 is a summary version of this passage…)
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church—his ‘body’ of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy; cleansing her by the washing with water through the word and to present her to himself as a radiant church without stain, wrinkle, or any other blemish—but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body but he feeds and cares for it just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his ‘body’. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery—I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10, 12
Two are better than one, for they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. Though one may be overpowered, now two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.
Genesis 2: 18-24
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Colossians 3: 12-19
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
Jeremiah 29: 11-14
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord.
Couple’s Creed
All scripture is God-breathed and useful so that every person professing belief in Christ may know the Truth, and be equipped to serve God. Our Creator God made male and female, and said “for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife; the two shall become one flesh”. So they are no longer two, but one. So with the Lord God making them one flesh, in flesh and in Spirit they are His.“I hate divorce” the Lord God of Israel says, so guard yourself in your Spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. As Jesus commanded, love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul and your entire mind. Then too, love your neighbor as yourself—all the laws fall on these two commandments. These commands are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children, too; talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road…when you lie down and when you get up. If and when your brother or sister sins against you, give rebuke; if they repent, forgive them. If they sin against you 7 times in a day and 7 times come back and say “I repent”—forgive them. Do this; have life—life more abundantly, and eternal life in heaven! (OT - Deut 6: 5-7, Malachi 2: 15-16 / NT - Matt 19: 4-6; 22: 36-40, Luke 17:4, John 10: 10, 2 Tim 3: 16-17)
Ruth 1: 16-17
But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me."
Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord; make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console. To be understood as to understand to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned & it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.