So I have seen in quotes on the board that Christ is our love, but in one of the quotes it stated that he is the bridegroom, when this is said, does it mean that we look for the more "in love" feeling with Christ also?
Christ is the Bridegroom (Nymphios) of the Church. But this is not what you think it means. Its not about a sentimental "feeling" of love.
Here is the Icon of the Bridegroom (Nymphios):
On Palm Sunday Evening, after the triumphant morning services of the Entry into Jerusalem, we suddenly shift into the preparation for the suffering and death of Christ with the "Bridegroom Service". The Church is in darkness, and in the middle of the Service, this Icon is brought out of the Sanctuary and carried around the people in the Church while we sing the following hymn:
Behold, the Bridegroom cometh in the middle of the night,
and blessed is that servant whom He shall find watching;
and again unworthy is he whom He shall find heedless.
Beware, therefore, O my soul, lest thou be overcome with sleep,
lest thou be given up to death, and be shut out from the Kingdom.
But rather rouse thyself and cry:
Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, our God, through the Theotokos have mercy on us!
Our Bridegroom is not richly adorned wearing a beautiful marriage crown, but rather He is stripped and wears a robe meant to mock Him and He wears a crown of thorns. We too, as His Bride, must be prepared to accept our Cross and suffer with Him. This is what it means to be a Christian, as He Himself said:
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross every day, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23)Here is an extract of the Bridegroom Service on Palm Sunday night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N-sPbL3gYgThe Bridegroom Service recalls the story of the five wise and the five foolish virgins:
Matthew 25:1-13"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."
