The Spirit and The Bride Say Come!
"In the 'already but not yet' nature of Christian liturgy, we are not yet fully experiencing the joys of heaven, but we get as close as we can in sacramental form, and therefor experience a foretaste of the heavenly banquet. At the appointed time, God and his creation will be completely united once again. Christ, the Bridegroom, will meet and become completely united with the Church, his Bride. Just as husband and wife become one in Marriage, so to an even greater degree will God and creation become one. This intimate union with God will be complete and unmediated, wholly communion and feast (CCC, 1136). Although the 'wedding feast of the Lamb has begun' and his Bride, the Church is prepared to welcome him (Revelation 19:1-7), this feast of complete union between Christ and his Church is known to us only under the veil of the still fallen material world. In other words, we're not there yet, even though we know there is a 'there' there and can experience it as a pledge of future glory." (McNamara 36)
McNamara, Denis R. “Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy”. Hillenbrand Books, 2009.
She is His New Creation, By Water and The Word
"Adam sleeps, that Eve may be formed [Gen 2:21] Christ dies, that the Church may be formed.
When Adam sleeps, Eve is formed from his side; when Christ is dead, the spear pierces his side; [Jn 19:34]
that the mysteries [sacramenta, 'sacraments'] may flow forth whereby the Church is formed."
(Augustine, Homilies on the Gospel of John) (Mitchell 327)
Mitchell, Christopher Wright. The Song of Songs. Concordia Pub. House, 2003.
The Bride Adorned For Her Husband
"This new Jerusalem is prepared as a bride for her husband, meaning that it is adorned, festive, and intended for union with God...So the new Jerusalem is, in fact, the Church, the people in which God dwells completely. Christ is the Bridegroom, the Church is the Bride, and the two become one. For this reason, the heavenly feast is the wedding banquet of the lamb, and the church building is comparable to a place adorned for a wedding feast." (McNamara 77)
McNamara, Denis R. “Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy”. Hillenbrand Books, 2009.
"Similarly, the words the Church uses in liturgy are the words said to Christ, the Bridegroom of the Bride, and this Bride is the Mystical Body, which is itself the People of God united to their Head. So in the words of the Bride, the Church, are the words both inspired and offered to Christ, the Groom." (McNamara 168)
McNamara, Denis R. “Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy”. Hillenbrand Books, 2009.
Jerusalem My Happy Home
"' How happy the bride of such a favored destiny! Your rich endowment is the Father's glory and your comeliness is from the Bridegroom's grace - queen most beautiful, bride of Christ the King, radiant city of heaven." (McNamara 214)
McNamara, Denis R. “Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy”. Hillenbrand Books, 2009.
