Sunday January 16

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

A Marriage Feast

When two young people set out together on the adventure of married life, they affirm that they believe in each other, in love, in life, in the future. This is the message God speaks to us today. He has committed himself to us, his people, in a covenant bond of love, as lasting and as beautiful as marriage, when his Son Jesus became human. In him he has given himself to us for ever, for better and for worse, accepting that his Son laid down his life for us, so that we might live. He continues to change for us the water of the drabness and failures of our existence into plenty of wine and joy. And the best wine will be kept for the end, for eternal happiness. In this eucharist Jesus changes bread and wine for us into the food and drink of life.

 

First Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5

Regarding Zion, I can’t keep my mouth shut,
    regarding Jerusalem, I can’t hold my tongue,
Until her righteousness blazes down like the sun
    and her salvation flames up like a torch.
Foreign countries will see your righteousness,
    and world leaders your glory.
You’ll get a brand-new name
    straight from the mouth of God.
You’ll be a stunning crown in the palm of God’s hand,
    a jeweled gold cup held high in the hand of your God.
No more will anyone call you Rejected,
    and your country will no more be called Ruined.
You’ll be called Hephzibah (My Delight),
    and your land Beulah (Married),
Because God delights in you
    and your land will be like a wedding celebration.
For as a young man marries his virgin bride,
    so your builder marries you,
And as a bridegroom is happy in his bride,
    so your God is happy with you.

 

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:

wise counsel

clear understanding

simple trust

healing the sick

miraculous acts

proclamation

distinguishing between spirits

tongues

interpretation of tongues.

All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.

 

Gospel: John 2:1-11

Three days later there was a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. Jesus and his disciples were guests also. When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus’ mother told him, “They’re just about out of wine.”

Jesus said, “Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.”

She went ahead anyway, telling the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.”

Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings. Each held twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus ordered the servants, “Fill the pots with water.” And they filled them to the brim.

 “Now fill your pitchers and take them to the host,” Jesus said, and they did.

When the host tasted the water that had become wine (he didn’t know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew), he called out to the bridegroom, “Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap

This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave, the first glimpse of his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

 

Prayer

Faithful and loving God,
your Son Jesus shared with ordinary people
in the joy of a marriage feast.
Set for us the table and pour for us
the delightful wine of your covenant,
bring us close to you and to one another
and warm our hearts with your own love.
Make our lives become a feast,
an unending song of joy and praise
to you, our living God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

 

Reflection:

Wedding at Cana – the Epiphany continues.

It is embarrassing for a host to run out of food or drink in the middle of a banquet. In the episode of Jesus changing water into wine, there is not only no wine in the house, but also there is not even water there! Only after Jesus ordered it, the servants fill the jars with water! But, unless we read it in prayer and meditation, we run the risk of misunderstanding its meaning.

John presents in his Gospel only seven signs of Jesus. The wedding at Cana is the first of the seven. Although serving wine symbolizes happiness and love (Ecl 10:19), drunkenness was condemned (Pro 23:30) in the Jewish culture. If so, why does the Evangelist say that Jesus gave them wine in abundance? He uses a unique expression: ‘Jesus revealed his glory.’ This sign is the manifestation of the Glory of God: the Epiphany of the Lord! The disciples believed after seeing this sign.

Nothing is said of the central figures of a wedding: no mention of the bride; the groom has an insignificant role; he does not say anything. Then there is a curious emphasis on the six stone jars in this house. A private home did not require that many jars of water for purifications! Another point for reflection is that John does not name Mary but simply calls her, “the Mother of Jesus.” There will be few more occasions when he would use that phrase as it happened at the foot of the cross (Jn 19:25-27).

At the time of Jesus, people expected a Messiah, who would provide them with banquet of “rich food, and choice wines, meat full of marrow” (Is 25:6). This Messiah still seems to be far away. The people are sad, like those who celebrate a wedding feast without wine. The wedding at Cana without wine represents the tragic condition of the people of Israel, disappointed and dissatisfied.

The six empty stone jars represent the religion of purification, that has those set of practices and rituals that failed to purify the people. They relied on the fulfilment of legal provisions to please God but remained sad and disappointed.

Jesus’ mother can be Mary, yes, but she can also indicate the spiritual community which accompanied Jesus and followed his precepts. In today’s passage, she represents the pious people of Israel. They understand that the living water and the best quality wine comes only from Jesus. The Mother approaches Jesus to inform him that there is no life and joy in the household. And his response is, “Woman, my time has not yet come.”

The Mother, the Church tells the people: “Do as he tells you.” When his time comes on the Cross, he would pour out the choice wine – his own blood to purify the household and bring them life and joy!

 

Video available on Youtube : Wedding at Cana – the Epiphany continues.