THE HOLY MATRIMONY BETWEEN MICHAEL OCAN AND BETTY AOL SERMON BY THE RT. REV. MACLEORD BAKER OCHOLA II

SERMON BY THE RT. REV. MACLEORD BAKER OCHOLA II (B.TH  U of S CANADA) – RETIRED ANGLICAN BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF KITGUM – AT THE HOLY MATRIMONY BETWEEN MICHAEL OCAN AND BETTY AOL ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2012, IN CHRIST CHURCH GULU

Text:  Genesis 2.18-24

Theme:  Marriage is permanent for life.

Introduction

Dearly beloved in Christ, I greet and welcome you all in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, on this momentous occasion of the Holy Matrimony between Michael Ocan and Betty Aol.  No doubt, this is the Wedding of the year that fills our hearts with an immeasurable joy and happiness, as we all join in the celebration of the union between Michael and Betty.  This is one of the happiest moments in their life, as husband and wife.  For this reason, we have all come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of Michael and Betty, as husband and wife.  We have also come together in the presence of God to share with them their joys and happiness on this special occasion of their Holy Matrimony. Michael and Betty have set a very good example to many young men and women who have not yet made up their minds to bring their marriages before the Lord for blessing.  It is, therefore, our sincere hope and prayers that many of our young people both men and women will follow this good example in their daily lives.  Bravo Michael and Betty! Bravo Michael and Betty! Bravo Michael and Betty!

1. What is marriage?

Marriage is a bond and covenant between a man and a woman which is ordained by God in creation.  Marriage is, indeed, a bond and covenant only between a man and a woman, as ordained by God.  The bond of marriage between a man and a woman is natural and acceptable by all human cultures all over the world. It is not even surprising to note that this principle is accepted wholeheartedly by both the animal’s and the bird’s worlds. The dove from the Bird’s world sets a very wonderful example of monogamous marriage, as compared to bigamous or polygamous marriages.

Marriage is a gift of God in creation and a means of God’s grace to humanity, a holy mystery in which man and woman become one flesh.  God’s purpose in marriage is that both husband and wife shall be united in love, as Christ is united with His Church.  In marriage husband and wife may comfort and help each other in life, living faithfully together in need and in plenty, in sorrow and in joy. Husband and wife may also know each other in love with delight and tenderness, as they rejoice in their bodily union. The union of husband and wife in heart, body, and mind is for their mutual joy and happiness.

Through marriage, God has given humanity the power of procreation of children and the joy of caring for children and bringing them in the knowledge and love of the Lord, who is the Giver and the Source of Life.  Marriage, therefore, is a way of life that all men and women should honour and respect from generation to generation. For this very reason, marriage must not be undertaken carelessly, lightly or selfishly, but reverently and responsibly after thorough thought.

2. The permanence of marriage.

Marriage is intended by God in creation to be permanent commitment for life.   Marriage is, therefore, a total and permanent commitment between a man and a woman only. In Genesis 2.18 the Lord God says it is not good for a man to be alone.  God in His eternal wisdom promises that He will make a suitable companion for a man.  Consequently, God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and He took one of his ribs and made it into a woman.  Adam was so excited so much so that he sang a song of joy and happiness, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man’. The Holy Scriptures conclude that a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh (Genesis 2.24).  In this context all those who intend to enter into marriage must realize that there is no return, once they enter into it. Marriage, therefore, is a permanent commitment for life, as it can be seen here in this quotation below.

I Michael, take you Betty to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love,  to cherish, and to worship, till death us do part, according to God’s holy law, and this is my solemn vow’.

To cherish somebody is to love him or her so much and even to die for him or her. To worship a person is to express a strong feeling of love and respect which has no comparison in life.

3. Marriage is like a Kingdom or a House.

In Mark 3.23-30, our Lord Jesus Christ uses the unity of a Kingdom or of a House to illustrate the false conception the Jews had about Him, as having the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons. The Jews accused Jesus Christ of being possessed by Beelzebul and by the power of Beelzebul, He cast out demons.   However, Jesus Christ asked the Jews, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan?’ In this parable Jesus Christ’s focus was on the unity of a Kingdom or of a House for its welfare.  According to Jesus Christ, a Kingdom or a House that is divided cannot stand. The teachers of the Law from Jerusalem did not have the insight and the importance of the unity of a Kingdom or a House whose welfare depends entirely on its unity.

Marriage, therefore, is like a Kingdom or a House which must not be divided in any way, and at any time in life, because, marriage is meant to be permanent in life. In conclusion, Jesus Christ emphasized the importance of the unity, the permanence, and the coherence of marriage, between a man and a woman.

4. A Family is the foundation.

A House is a holy place where a holy people (family) live. A holy family is the foundation of a community.  A cluster of good families form a community and clusters of good communities form a society which is equally good. In marriage both husband and wife exchange rings, as a sign of their marriage.  This covenant and bond of marriage between Michael and Betty is summarized in these words. ‘I Michael, give you Betty this ring, as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am, I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit’.  This means that a family must be highly respected and honoured by every human being in the world. Otherwise, a violation of the human rights of a family is an eternal sin against the Holy Spirit which cannot be forgiven  because it is an abomination against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3.29)

5. A Special tribute to Michael Ocan.

Marriage unites different people together through the bride and the bridegroom, who extend their hands to their respective parents, close relatives, friends, and clans. This marital relationship between Michael and Betty definitely brings tremendous joy and happiness to hundreds of thousands of people who dearly love them even beyond their own imagination. Betty and Michael have been a source of great joy and happiness to so many people, all across the political and cultural spectrum, in Uganda today.  My special tribute goes to Michael Ocan for being a very wonderful son-in-law to his mother-in-law, brothers and sisters-in-laws, and close relatives and friends of Betty.  Michael Ocan, as the son-in-law to the mother-in-law, has been very loyal, obedient, and faithful, to the mother-in-law, in every respect.  Michael has been the son-in-law indeed to the family where Betty comes from.  The reason is very simple because , according to Luo culture, a woman who graciously gives you her dear daughter in marriage, is called ‘Maro’ or’ (Mother-in-law’)  This simply means that this woman loves you so much that she is very willing and ready to give you her dear daughter in marriage and even for free.  This simply means ‘ Keny odur’ or marriage has no end.  Odur is a rubbish dump or heap where rubbish is dumped at all times. Thank you, Michael for being such a wonderful son-in-law to your dear mother-in-law, who loves you so much that she gave you her dear daughter Betty to you, as your dear wife today.

6. What is a Family from Ugandan perspective?

Uganda, as a Nation, is about to celebrate her Jubilee Year of Independence on October 9, 2012. The challenge is, how do we, look at ourselves, as Ugandans today since the time of our Independence on October 9, 1962? Has Uganda already become a Nation since we got Independence from the British Colonial government?  Has Uganda already become one Nation, one People, one Parliament, and one President?  However, in my personal view and well informed opinion, I think that Uganda is much more divided along the tribal lines than ever before.  Today Uganda is being eaten up by terrible corruption in all sectors of life than in most countries in African continent.  The Land wrangles are very ripe even at a family level throughout the Country, especially in Northern Uganda.  Family members have turned against each other because of Land disputes

For example, brothers are chasing away the children of their own sisters who have come back home with their mothers simply because their own fathers have rejected them together with their mothers. The question is, where do they want the children of their own sisters to go?  I think the mothers of these children, who are their own sisters, still have equal right with every one of them, as far as the original home is concerned.

In Uganda today there is too much education disparity and imbalance at regional level.  For example, the whole of Northern Uganda has only 7% of all the students who have opportunities to have access to public universities in Uganda today. For all those students who benefit from Self-sponsorship Programme, the whole of Northern Uganda is only 3% in public universities in Uganda.  Worst of all, the whole of Northern Uganda gets nothing or zero from the State House Scholarships, which benefit only students who have access to the best Schools in Uganda, like, King College Budo, Kisubi College Entebbe, Namilyango College Kampala, Busoga College Mwiri  Jinja, and Gayaza High School Kampala, just to mention, but a few.  Apparently, we cannot continue in this manner, as Ugandans, if we all want to have a common memory of our recent past history in Uganda. The challenge is, Uganda must be seen as a Family or a House or a Kingdom, whose welfare depends entirely on her unity.  This means that we must all be willing and ready to accept each other regardless of their ethnic or religious or social status or political differences. In other words, let us all go back to the basic principle that a Family is the Foundation of a community and of a society, as Uganda. This is the new perspective we must all have towards each other in Uganda today, as we all prepare to celebrate our Jubilee Year of our Independence on October 9, 2012. This new Family of Michael and Betty has set a new parameter concerning our unity, as a people and a nation. This new perspective of ourselves, as Ugandans, will enable all of us to have a shared future destiny for our posterity.  Be Ugandan, feel Uganda, act Ugandan, walk Ugandan and speak Ugandan!

Amen!