The one who has the bride is the bridegroom

1 Jn 5,14-21; Ps 149; Jn 3,22-30
12 JANUARY
God wants to make a spousal covenant with his people, to be with it one thing, one breath or pant or blow of life. The spousal union is the highest communion existing in creation. This truth is announced both by Hosea and Ezekiel.

I will espouse you to me forever: I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity, and you shall know the Lord. On that day I will respond, says the Lord; I will respond to the heavens, and they shall respond to the earth; The earth shall respond to the grain, and wine, and oil, and these shall respond to Jezreel. I will sow him for myself in the land, and I will have pity on Lo-ruhama. I will say to Lo-ammi, “You are my people,” and he shall say, “My God!” (Cf. Hos 2,18-25). Again I passed by you and saw that you were now old enough for love. So I spread the corner of my cloak over you to cover your nakedness; I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you; you became mine, says the Lord God. Then I bathed you with water, washed away your blood, and anointed you with oil. I clothed you with an embroidered gown, put sandals of fine leather on your feet; I gave you a fine linen sash and silk robes to wear. I adorned you with jewellery: I put bracelets on your arms, a necklace about your neck, a ring in your nose, pendants in your ears, and a glorious diadem upon your head. Thus you were adorned with gold and silver; your garments were of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. Fine flour, honey, and oil were your food. You were exceedingly beautiful, with the dignity of a queen. You were renowned among the nations for your beauty, perfect as it was, because of my splendour which I had bestowed on you, says the Lord God (Cf. Ez 16,1-14).

In the New Testament the singer of this truth is Paul. Revelation prophesies the celestial marriage of the Word of God with the redeemed. It is the mystery of eternal unity.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church (Cf. Eph 5,21-33). “Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are they who wash their robes so as to have the right to the tree of life and enter the city through its gates. Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the unchaste, the murderers, the idol-worshipers, and all who love and practice deceit. “I, Jesus, sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let the hearer say, “Come.” Let the one who thirsts come forward, and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water (Rev 22,12-17).

John the Baptist reveals that Jesus is the Bridegroom. He is the Spouse because of the hypostatic union. It is a union without division, confusion, no longer reversible and immutable. Of his body, as his real body, every person who welcomes him in faith and is reborn from water and the Holy Spirit is called to take part. The baptismal marriage is consolidated and strengthened in every other sacrament and, after death, for the righteous will be an eternal wedding. One will be with Jesus one life and life of his life forever.

After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea, where he spent some time with them baptizing. John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there, and people came to be baptized, for John had not yet been imprisoned. Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew about ceremonial washings. So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.” John answered and said, “No one can receive anything except what has been given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said (that) I am not the Messiah, but that I was sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease.”

Spousal union requires perennial fidelity. One must grow in it. The eternal wedding will be for those who have remained faithful forever to the pact of love sworn to Christ Jesus in every sacrament celebrated. The separation on earth is also in the heavens.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that Christians live the spousal covenant in fidelity.