A wedding, a miracle and Christ’s mission to the world…
Reflections on the readings for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (January 20, 2019): IS 62:1-5; PS 96:1-2,2-3,7-8,9-10; 1 COR 12:4-11; JN 2:1-11
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
Jesus and Mary were among those relatives, friends and neighbors invited to a wedding feast at Cana in Galilee.
Most likely, everything proceeded happily according to local traditions and the guests had a good time celebrating the new couple. Then the wine ran out. We can wonder how this was possible… had more guests than expected shown up…had someone miscalculated how much wine to buy… had some been spilled or a jar broken? Surely the families of the bride and groom would be embarrassed, possibly for years to come. But Mary, generous and tenderhearted, knew that did not have to happen, not that day. “The mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, how does your concern affect Me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servers, ‘Do whatever He tells you’” (John 2:3-5).
Mary was the first and most faithful of her Son’s disciples. She knew that He was leaving her to go about His Father’s business ministering to all who would listen. So she directed the servants: “Do whatever He tells you.”
Surely that is just what she would say to all of us who follow Christ. If we want to know His mercy… if we want to embrace His peace… if we want to be saved… “Do whatever He tells you.” Let’s remember this first of Jesus’ miracles, when He turned water into wine, as we kneel at the Consecration during Mass. What a lovely, but ultimately, small miracle He performed at Cana compared to the one that takes place at the altar when wine becomes Christ’s own blood. And we should remember, too, that like all His miracles, they come from His love for His people.
