Sufficiency of Dreams

Sufficiency of Dreams

Dreams, as many are aware of, can be periods of events that seem to appear, often without any perfect understanding, then suddenly people or physical scenes come and go and we may remember pieces when awaking not able to tie any of the bits together.

My latest preview of events concerned a wedding about to occur.  A granddaughter, who is to get married next September, is the bride in the dream.  My task was not to be celebrant of the ceremony but had to do with a gown or some type of outer clothing and a flask of oil.  After the priest concluded the marriage I was to place the outer garment on her and anoint it with the oil.

Now all this seemed simple but it was the preparation that appeared to be the impetus of the dream.  I was fully vested, dalmatic and stole, and trying to understand this portion of any wedding, Why the outer covering over a wedding gown, and a flask of oil to be used in an undisclosed meaning in the dream.  

To the family members who were assisting in getting all the needed parts of the ceremony together kept telling me that all was going along ok but never answered my question regarding the outer clothing and the oil and their manner of being employed on the bride.  

Using Isaiah as a point of reference I thought of this passage; “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; For he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels.”  (Is. 61: 10). 

Each of us enters life, still learning, still searching for divine guidance as we will become fodder for evil unless there is someone to step in and use God’s Grace to protect us.  This how all of us are to respond to the needs of our brothers and sisters as they venture into the world that is liable to eat them up.  We are the protectors, as God’s emissaries, to share the dominion of the Most High to guide those under our charge to freedom from the evils of this world. 

Now the cloak over her wedding gown becomes the breastplate of the righteousness of God to resist evil on the day of attack.  (see Ephesians 6: 13).   

What about the oil?  The oil of Catechumens, blessed by the local bishop during the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday becomes the first oil used during baptism.  Chrism oil is used then anointing the skull of those entering the Church.  The sacredness of holy oils is an investiture of the Presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  The oil in my dream constitutes a real presence of God’s spiritual protection on my granddaughter’s wedding.

Another dream that has real meaning to the ministry of each of us as we move through life’s unknown.

Ralph B. Hathaway, Dreams that live.  2021