Chapter 21 Matrimony

When the state of California allowed gay couples to get married, Sara found herself in a position to be able to get married. Her partner and herself agreed, and got married at the courthouse. However, the next day, St. Gregory's had a blessing and celebration for them and a few other couples. 

“A year later, Mercedes would hand me an envelope at the food pantry, apologizing that it had taken her so long to give us an appropriate wedding present. “Sara y Marta,” she’d written on the greeting card, which was in flowery Spanish and featured embossed, entwined gold bands. Inside, Mercedes had tucked a Western Union money order for two hundred dollars, which she’d put aside, week by week, from her housecleaning wages. “Your holy matrimony and true love,” she’d printed carefully at the bottom of the card, “is a gift from God.” I cried as I read over the prayer from the marriage rite in the Book of Common Prayer. It had new meaning for me. “Make their life together a sign of Christ’s love to this sinful and broken world,” the prayer said, “that unity may overcome estrangement, forgiveness heal guilt, and joy conquer despair.”” (235)