'Love Is The Way' Baltimore Bishop's Sermon At Royal Wedding

BALTIMORE, MD — The sermon at Saturday's royal wedding had a distinctly modern and American take with references to civil rights icon the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the spirituality of American slaves and the dangers of social media, all as traditional royalty and celebrities looked on. Bishop Michael Curry, a former West Baltimore parish leader, preached at the union of Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle in Windsor.

Curry is the National Episcopal Church's first African-American Presiding Bishop. Markle and Prince Harry asked him to give the sermon at Windsor Castle, according to Cincinnati.com. (Watch his full sermon below.)

As Queen Elizabeth and the royal family listened, along with Markle's mother and celebrity friends George Clooney and Serena Williams, Curry urged the couple to believe and act in the power of love. "The late Dr. Martin Luther King once said and I quote: 'We must discover the power of love, the power, the redemptive power of love. And when we do that, we will make of this whole world a new world. But love, love is the only way.' There is power in love. Don't underestimate it. Don't even over-sentimentalize it. There is power, power in love," Curry said.

The American bishop said that Jesus started a revolution more than two millennia ago, and that same power to change the world gave hope to slaves in America's antebellum South. "They explained it this way, they sang a spiritual even in the midst of their captivity. ... They said if you cannot preach like Peter and you cannot pray like Paul, you just tell the love of Jesus how he died to save of all. Oh that's the balm in Gilead: his way of love it is the way of life," Curry said.

Curry preached for 12 years ending in 2000 at the St. James Episcopal Church in West Baltimore, according to CBS. The congregation's new priest, the Rev. Melvin E. Truiett Sr., said of Curry, "He was very personable. If he didn't have a collar on, you would never have known that he was a priest, because he's just down to earth, easy to talk to."

Read the full text of Curry's sermonat the royal wedding on the CNN website.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. And like Patch on Facebook!)

"The love that has brought and will bind Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle together has its source and origin in God, and is the key to life and happiness," Curry said, according to the Episcopal Church.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who oversaw the marriage vows, said "I'm thrilled that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have asked Bishop Michael Curry to preach at their wedding." According to Newsweek, he said Curry is a "brilliant pastor, stunning preacher and someone with a great gift for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ."

Maryland Patch Photo Contest: Submit Your Best Pics

Just because Markle's marrying a prince doesn't mean she will become a princess. Only women born into the royal family (e.g. Princess Anne, Princess Charlotte) are given the title. Most likely, Queen Elizabeth will gift Markle with a title of Duchess, if Harry is granted a dukedom, as was his older brother, when Prince William and Kate Middleton became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The British bookies had their bets that Harry will be named the Duke of Sussex, which means Markle will become the Duchess of Sussex. Markle may also be referred to by the awkward royal title in reference to her husband, HRH Princess Henry of Wales. (Henry is Harry's given first name.)

Most major TV networks began their live coverage at 4:30-5 a.m. Eastern Time. The royal wedding ceremony itself is at noon London time, or 7 a.m. ET. Live coverage will be available on CBS, streamed on CBSN, The Today Show (NBC), PBS and BBC America, according to Harper's Bazaar.

BBC America will also be streaming coverage and commentary of the royal wedding on May 19. Sign in with your subscription or cable account information on BBC America Livestream.

PHOTOS: WINDSOR, ENGLAND - MAY 19: (L-R) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave Windsor Castle in the Ascot Landau carriage during a procession after getting married at St Georges Chapel on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales marries Ms. Meghan Markle in a service at St George's Chapel inside the grounds of Windsor Castle. Among the guests were 2200 members of the public, the royal family and Ms. Markle's Mother Doria Ragland. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: The Most Rev Bishop Michael Curry, primate of the Episcopal Church, gives an address during the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Owen Humphreys - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

YouTube video of Curry's sermon via CBS News