Last week, I had the great privilege of visiting a couple in Sunbury Nursing Home to mark an extraordinary milestone; their 67th wedding anniversary – Yvonne and George. It was a quiet, tender moment, but one filled with depth and meaning. As I stood by their bedside and offered a blessing and shared some prayers, I found myself reflecting deeply on what it means to share such a long life together and how their love bears witness to the enduring beauty of Christian marriage.
In a world that often prizes the fleeting and the new, it is profoundly moving to encounter something lasting; especially a love that has grown and endured through nearly seven decades. Their journey, like all marriages, will have known joy and sorrow, health and frailty, laughter and grief. And yet, here they are, still side by side, holding hands, eyes still soft with affection, still sharing stories with me of their youth as if it were yesterday.
Marriage, in the Christian tradition, is a covenant—a sacred promise made not only between two people, but also with God. It is not simply about mutual affection, though affection is surely part of it. It is about commitment, fidelity and grace. It is about being willing to love not just in the sunshine, but through the storms; not just when it is easy but especially when it is hard.
This couple’s marriage is a living icon of that covenant. In them, we see what St Paul described in 1 Corinthians 13: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Their companionship over these many years is a testament to the kind of love Christ calls us to: patient, kind, humble, and enduring.
As I prayed with them, I was struck by how their companionship has become a kind of sanctuary; an intimate place where God’s grace has been at work quietly, day by day. There is something holy in the way that George cares for Yvonne, in the gentleness of their exchanges, in the way they still find joy in each other’s presence. In their love, I saw something of the love God has for us all: faithful, forgiving, and never giving up.
Their story is also a witness to us as a parish. In a time when relationships can seem fragile, their life together is a reminder that love grounded in faith can last. It encourages us to nurture our own relationships; with spouses, family, friends, and with God – through intentional acts of kindness, forgiveness, and commitment.
As we celebrate their 67 years of marriage, we do more than honour a couple. We honour the sacred gift of love itself. We give thanks for the countless small acts of care that have woven the fabric of their shared life. And we ask God to bless all our homes and hearts with that same enduring love.
May we, like them, grow in grace and remain faithful in love, trusting in the God who binds us together and walks with us through every season of life.