Spiritual Toolbox Answer

Actually, the friar was originally requested to be the best man. He declined, while acknowledging that this was a great honor from both his brother and his now sister-in-law. When pressed to answer “Why?” he answered that he would not feel comfortable being the best man at a wedding that was outside of the Church, since he himself was a professed religious in the Catholic Church. Yet, he replied, he would gladly attend and celebrate with his brother and bride. While clearly disappointed, being mature young adults, the brother and his bride were happy that he was willing to join them.

Now the decision: He cleared his throat and asked his brother and sister-in-law what kind of a prayer they expected. Since many (most?) of the guests were not Catholic, or at least not practicing Catholics, they replied that any prayer would be fine – just PLEASE be sensitive to those who were not Christian.

He nodded and agreed to pray. In fact, he prayed all the way up to the microphone! Without making any fuss, he briefly acknowledged that many who were present came from different religious traditions and some came from no religious tradition. He asked those present to join him in prayer as he prayed from his tradition. He proceeded to ask God’s blessing upon the newly married couple and their family and friends, those present and absent, and to tenderly remember the departed of each family. He invoked God’s blessing upon the food and the safety of all who are traveling. He concluded by asking God to guide his brother and sister-in-law in the beauty of truth and grace that they would fulfill the destiny for which they had been created.

And he concluded with “Amen.”