John the Baptist gives the description of Jesus as the Bridegroom in today's Gospel. John said, "No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ, but that I was sent before him. The one that 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." John knew that Jesus was the anointed Christ. It was merely his job as prophet to prepare the way. He is witness to God made manifest.
The Bridegroom has deep meaning in Jewish culture. Marriage, as indicated by the Song of Solomon, shows the deep yearning and union of the bride and bridegroom. It is also a sign of God's love to his people. Christ Jesus is the Bridegroom. Who is the bride? Who did Christ come to save? The people, we, are the bride. As one people of faith, we are the Church, and so the Church is also the Bride. May we keep ourselves ever present to our Bridegroom and the Kingdom of God which is at hand.
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