Second Sunday in Ordinary Time C
January 14, 2007
Reading I: Isaiah 62:1-5
Responsorial Psalm: 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Gospel: John 2:1-12
"Wedding at Cana"
I remember when I was still a seminarian one of my fears as I approached priestly ordination was to preach in front of many people. Before I couldn’t imagine myself standing in front of a big congregation, where some people are listening some are not, some are interested, half-interested or not interested at all.
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And now, I, as priest, and as a preacher, one of my greatest fears is to preach about the readings from the Gospel of John. As always with the presentation of the story of Jesus from St. John, it is deeply symbolical and highly theological. Compared with the Synoptic Gospels – the Gospel of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the Gospel of John features long discourses, symbolic feature and images, and the glorification of Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah.
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The Gospel reading we have today is the marriage feast at Cana. This story is found only in the Fourth Gospel. This story is rich with symbolic figures and images such as the transformation of water into in a sparkling best wine. (You know, since I arrived at St. Andrew’s, Fr Frank has been taking me around the parish, we had meals with parishioners, most were Italians, so I often got home a bit “sleepy” because wine. Italians never run out of beautiful homemade wine! They are proud to say “molto bono vino.”)
Secondly, in today’s Gospel we can look at the role of the Mary, her powerful intercession and her sensitivity to the needs of those around her. She is compassionate about the situation of the newly wed couple and she knows the consequences if the people found out that they run out of wine. So Mary asked her Son to do something.
Thirdly, we can look at how Jesus came to be involved with the situation, and his immediate response to her Mother, “Woman, how does your concern affect me?”
We also have to know the biblical and theological meaning of the words of Jesus when he said “My hour has not yet come.”
Unfortunately, we don’t have enough time to deal with them individually.
According to some Church Fathers, the story of wedding at Cana is the raising of the dignity of human marriage, the union of man and woman, as Jesus assisted the needs of the newly wed couple.
Secondly, in today’s Gospel we can look at the role of the Mary, her powerful intercession and her sensitivity to the needs of those around her. She is compassionate about the situation of the newly wed couple and she knows the consequences if the people found out that they run out of wine. So Mary asked her Son to do something.
Thirdly, we can look at how Jesus came to be involved with the situation, and his immediate response to her Mother, “Woman, how does your concern affect me?”
We also have to know the biblical and theological meaning of the words of Jesus when he said “My hour has not yet come.”
Unfortunately, we don’t have enough time to deal with them individually.
According to some Church Fathers, the story of wedding at Cana is the raising of the dignity of human marriage, the union of man and woman, as Jesus assisted the needs of the newly wed couple.
***
But what really is the core of the Gospel today as we enter the new season of the Church calendar the Ordinary Time? “Christmas season is now over, last Sunday brought an end to stories of Jesus’ birth, baptism and early life. Now it is time to hear about the work of Jesus as a full adult, as the man who was also God’s Word.”
The Church gives us a brief transition this Sunday, a preparation for hearing the narrative of Jesus’ life. We Christians are called through our baptism, to meditate and to contemplate on the life of Jesus. We do this basically by reading the Sacred Scriptures daily.
Sometimes we are engrossed with daily news; we more are excited about sensational stories from the tabloid; we more are eager reading forwarded emails or text messages from our friends than reading the bible. St. Jerome once said, “Ignorance of the scripture is ignorance of Jesus.”
Let us honestly ask ourselves, are we really interested about our faith?
Then, if you are, do you want to hear clearly the message of Christ in the Gospel?
But if you are not, let us ask ourselves what it is that pulls down or shakes our faith?
The Church gives us a brief transition this Sunday, a preparation for hearing the narrative of Jesus’ life. We Christians are called through our baptism, to meditate and to contemplate on the life of Jesus. We do this basically by reading the Sacred Scriptures daily.
Sometimes we are engrossed with daily news; we more are excited about sensational stories from the tabloid; we more are eager reading forwarded emails or text messages from our friends than reading the bible. St. Jerome once said, “Ignorance of the scripture is ignorance of Jesus.”
Let us honestly ask ourselves, are we really interested about our faith?
Then, if you are, do you want to hear clearly the message of Christ in the Gospel?
But if you are not, let us ask ourselves what it is that pulls down or shakes our faith?
***
According to John in today’s Gospel, the wedding at Cana is “the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory and his disciples began to believe.” Once again the glory of God is manifested in Jesus. Last Sunday, we celebrated the Feast of Epiphany of the Lord – the manifestation of God in Jesus. The wedding at Cana may be called “Manifestation at Cana” because Jesus revealed his power and his identity as God. Because of Jesus’ compassion and ability to change water into wine the disciples believed that indeed Jesus is the only Son, the Messiah.
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This Sunday of the Ordinary Time we begin the long journey of listening to the word of God and reflecting on the life of Christ. Pope Benedict said last year in his message for the 21st World Youth Day: “There is an urgent need for the emergence of a new generation of apostles anchored firmly in the word of Christ, capable of responding to the challenges of our times and prepared to spread the Gospel far and wide.”
So let us be attentive listening to the Word of God and put them into actions.
We don’t need to suffer terrible sickness, cancer, or have a tragic accident in our family before we turn to the Lord.
Let us invite Jesus now, for he is our friend and our God. Let us invite Jesus to transform us, to leave everything into his hands including our fears (my fear of preaching!) and problems, to turn our plain water into sacred wine, so that the fulfillment God’s glory comes to us and that we may share that glory to other people. Amen.
So let us be attentive listening to the Word of God and put them into actions.
We don’t need to suffer terrible sickness, cancer, or have a tragic accident in our family before we turn to the Lord.
Let us invite Jesus now, for he is our friend and our God. Let us invite Jesus to transform us, to leave everything into his hands including our fears (my fear of preaching!) and problems, to turn our plain water into sacred wine, so that the fulfillment God’s glory comes to us and that we may share that glory to other people. Amen.
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