A Blessing Cup Ceremony in Honour of a Marriage

This service is taken from 'The Blessing Cup' by Rock Travnikar, OFM. St Anthony Messenger Press, 1994. 

Sharing the cup of blessing is an ancient tradition, most commonly observed in the liturgy of the church. This week is a good opportunity to promote the use of a blessing cup as a home ritual richly expressive of praise, celebration and unity. The cup can be filled with any celebratory drink suitable for sharing among those present.

Opening Prayer
God of love, we commemorate with joy your presence in our life. In that spirit we celebrate the gift of your Sacrament of Marriage, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture
Do not press me to leave you
    or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
    Where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people,
    and your God, my God.
Where you die, I will die -
    there I will be buried (Ruth 1: 16-17a)

Petitions
Lord, You blessed the marriage feast at Cana; now bless ________ and _______, we pray. Response: Keep us in your love, Lord.

Let the love they have for each other be a faithful reflection of your love, we pray. Response: Keep us in your love, Lord.

Bless all called to share in this sacrament with an abundance of your goodness, we pray. Response: Keep us in your love, Lord.

Add your own petitions.

Collect
We raise the cup of blessing to celebrate the promise of love man and woman make before God. May the covenant of love we celebrate today bring us to eternal life in your love.

Sharing of the Blessing Cup
Pray together the Our Father or sing an appropriate song, as you pass the cup from one to another, until all have drunk from it.

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