God longs to be the spouse of our souls, hence the wedding imagery of the Parable of the Wedding Banquet. The 13th century Persian poet, theologian and mystic offers the image in today’s sermon from this poem:
When dust clouds your heart-glass, how can the mirror clear?
Remove the dust and rays reveal your real face.
Grape juice doesn’t ferment overnight,
that’s why wine ages in a bottle.
So if you want your heart to brighten,
expect to exert yourself a bit!
The polished inner mirror reveals the face of God, your Beloved.
The complete service beginning with music by Beverly Karlovich and Michael Pinnella, accompanying.