Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 66
Lectionary: 66
For Zion's sake I will not be silent,
for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines forth like the dawn
and her victory like a burning torch.
Nations shall behold your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
you shall be called by a new name
pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.
You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,
a royal diadem held by your God.
No more shall people call you "Forsaken, "
or your land "Desolate, "
but you shall be called "My Delight, "
and your land "Espoused."
For the LORD delights in you
and makes your land his spouse.
As a young man marries a virgin,
your Builder shall marry you;
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride
so shall your God rejoice in you.
for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines forth like the dawn
and her victory like a burning torch.
Nations shall behold your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
you shall be called by a new name
pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.
You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,
a royal diadem held by your God.
No more shall people call you "Forsaken, "
or your land "Desolate, "
but you shall be called "My Delight, "
and your land "Espoused."
For the LORD delights in you
and makes your land his spouse.
As a young man marries a virgin,
your Builder shall marry you;
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride
so shall your God rejoice in you.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10
R. (3) Proclaim
his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth;
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He governs the peoples with equity.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth;
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He governs the peoples with equity.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Reading 21 COR 12:4-11
Brothers and sisters:
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;
there are different workings but the same God
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom;
to another, the expression of knowledge according to the
same Spirit;
to another, faith by the same Spirit;
to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit;
to another, mighty deeds;
to another, prophecy;
to another, discernment of spirits;
to another, varieties of tongues;
to another, interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit produces all of these,
distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;
there are different workings but the same God
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom;
to another, the expression of knowledge according to the
same Spirit;
to another, faith by the same Spirit;
to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit;
to another, mighty deeds;
to another, prophecy;
to another, discernment of spirits;
to another, varieties of tongues;
to another, interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit produces all of these,
distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
Alleluia CF. 2 THES 2:14
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
God has called us through the Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called us through the Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 2:1-11
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
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."
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told the them,
"Fill the jars with water."
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
"Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter."
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
"Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now."
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
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."
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told the them,
"Fill the jars with water."
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
"Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter."
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
"Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now."
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.
Meditation:
“Jesus manifested his glory at Cana”
Do
you recognize the glory and presence of the Lord Jesus in your life? God often
reveals his glory to us in the unlikeliest of places - in a cold stable at
Bethlehem, at a village wedding party in Cana, on a bloody cross at Golgatha,
or on the road to Emmaus. In today’s Gospel reading we see the first public
sign and miracle which Jesus performed. The Lord Jesus brought great blessing
and joy to a newly wed couple and their wedding party. First by his presence,
and second by saving them from embarrassment when the wine ran out. Changing
water into wine was a remarkable act of kindness; but giving the best to last
was unnecessary and unheard of. In the Old Testament wine is seen as both a
gift and blessing of God (Deuteronomy 7:13; Proverbs 3:10, Psalm 105:). That
Jesus would miraculously produce 120 gallons of the best wine (many times more
than needed) shows the superabundance of the blessings which he came to offer.
This
miracle signifies the "new rich wine" of the Gospel and it points to
the “wine of the new covenant” and the “bread of life” which Jesus provides for
his disciples in the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist. It also points to the
Messianic banquet which Jesus will provide at the end of the age when he comes
again in his glory. The miracles of Jesus demonstrate the power of God's love
and mercy for his people. God's kindness knows no limits. And the ultimate
expression of his love is revealed in the person of his Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ. He became flesh for our sake, and he died for our redemption, and he
rose that we, too, might be raised up and glorified with him. Do you thirst for
God and for the abundant life and blessings he offers to you?
"Heavenly
Father, you have revealed your glory in our Lord Jesus Christ. Fill me with
your Holy Spirit that I may bring you glory in all that I do and say.”
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: The touch of the Lord, by Ephrem
the Syrian (306-373 AD)
"Why
did our Lord change nature at the beginning of his signs, if it was not to show
that the divinity that changed nature in the interior of the jars was the same
that changed nature in the womb of the virgin? And at the conclusion of the
signs, he opened the tomb to show that the insatiable nature of death would not
keep hold of him; he confirmed and ratified these two uncertainties of his
birth and of his death. As to their nature, these waters were turned into the
[fruit of] the vine; their stone vessels were not changed within their own
nature. They were a symbol of his body, which was wonderfully conceived in a
woman, and in a marvelous way by [the intervention of] no man within the
virgin. He thus made wine out of water to teach about the manner of his
conception and birth. He called upon the six jars as witness to the one virgin
who gave birth to him; for the jars conceived in a unique way that was not
customary for them, and they brought forth wine, and then they did not continue
to produce [it]. Thus did the virgin conceive and give birth to Immanuel, and
then she ceased and did not continue [to give birth]. The offspring of the jars
was from smallness to grandeur, and from vileness to excellence, for from water
came good wine. In this case [the birth from the virgin], however, it was from
grandeur to weakness and from glory to contempt. Yet in the case of these jars,
they were for the purification of the Jews, and our Lord poured his instruction
into them, to teach that he came in the way [found in] the Law and the
Prophets, and he transformed everything by his teaching, just as wine [was
made] from water." (excerpt from Commentary on Tatian’s
DIATESSARON 5.6–7)
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle C
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Isaiah 62:1-5
Isaiah, the greatest of the prophets, lived during the period 759-694 B.C. He was of the tribe of Judah and his home was in Jerusalem. The kingdom was divided and Israel, the northern kingdom, was occupied by the Assyrians. Judah, the southern kingdom, although not occupied, is an Assyrian vassal state. In about the year 704, Egyptian ambassadors came to Jerusalem with presents and fine words to persuade the Judean king (Hezekiah) to break with the Assyrian king and to join a coalition against him. The king of Babylon has already been won over, and the Philistines are to be approached. A concentrated attack is to be launched against Assyria. All Jerusalem seems to favor the alliance – all Jerusalem that is, except Isaiah who knew that faith in the power of Yahweh would save the nation and that an appeal to an outside nation was an insult to Yahweh. If the alliance were made, bad things would happen to Judah. Isaiah even went so far as to discard his outer garment and put on that of a prisoner of war – he then walked barefoot through the streets of Jerusalem with a sign that said “So shall the king of the Assyrians lead away the prisoners of Egypt.” The king of Judah (Hezekiah) joined the alliance and the Assyrians marched down the Mediterranean coast, driving Egyptians and Philistines before them and taking city after city. The Assyrian king laid siege to Jerusalem and demanded an unconditional and immediate surrender. Now, the people crowded the courts of the temple, falling all over each other in their eagerness to make peace with God with their offerings. Isaiah, whose trust in God had never wavered, was praying in the Temple when King Hezekiah implored him to intercede with God in behalf of the Holy City. Isaiah assured the king that the Assyrian king would not occupy or otherwise harm Jerusalem. Holy scripture records: “Says the Lord: ‘For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.’ Then the angel of the Lord set out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; when morning dawned, they were all dead bodies. Then the king of Assyria left, went home” (Isaiah 37:35-37). The afflictions which had come upon the people of Judah and Jerusalem were of their own making. By their wickedness they had drawn down upon themselves the wrath of Yahweh. Beneath an outward show of prosperity lay rottenness – commercial greed, extortion and graft, oppression of the poor, spendthrift luxury, drunkenness, glaring immorality. Isaiah strikes relentlessly at these vices of his people. He seeks to startle the nation into repentance and reform by predicting the doom that God is preparing for it, if it perseveres in its wickedness. But Isaiah is not merely the prophet of doom; he is also the prophet of hope and consolation. Many words of comfort are spoken to the people in the dark hours of affliction. Recall that the role of a prophet is not that of a soothsayer – he does not predict the future. The prophet’s role it to monitor the status of the covenant with God – to warn of the curses which will come if the covenant is not kept and to point to the blessings which will come through obedience. As Peter Kreeft says “A prophet is like a finger – we are not to look at him, but to where he points.”
Today’s reading points to the glorious future which is in store for the faithful in the new Zion – the new Jerusalem. If it sounds familiar, we heard it last at the Vigil of Christmas.
62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
The names Zion and Jerusalem are interchangeable. The city of Jerusalem is built upon Mount Zion while the Temple is on Mount Moriah.
Until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a burning torch.
The day of vindication of God (Isaiah 61:2) shines brightly and quickly like a desert sunrise (Isaiah 60:1). Never did this hope seem closer to fulfillment than on the feast of Tabernacles, when lights were kindled “at the place of the water drawing” so bright that “there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that was not illuminated by the light of the place.” The temple of Solomon was dedicated at the feast of Tabernacles and the Ark of the Covenant was introduced into Jerusalem by David at this feast. According to the Talmud, people lived in booths for the seven days of the feast. On the first night the temple area was brightly illuminated by lamps and torches and ceremonial dancing was done. Tabernacles are seen by some scholars as a renewal of the covenant as there was a regular reading of the Law.
2 Nations shall behold your vindication, and all kings your glory; You shall be called by a new name pronounced by the mouth of the LORD. 3 You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem held by your God.
A diadem is a crown worn as a sign of royalty. This image refers back to the ancient practice of showing the local deity wearing a crown which was patterned after the city walls. Yahweh holds His crown in His hands because Jerusalem is His possession.
4 No more shall men call you “Forsaken,” or your land “Desolate,”
When the covenant with Yahweh is violated, the curses are called down upon the people (Leviticus 26:21-22; 2 Chronicles 24:20).
But you shall be called “My Delight,” and your land “Espoused.”
The promises of Hosea 2:18-20 are not forgotten, even though Israel has had adulterous relationships with Baals.
For the LORD delights in you, and makes your land his spouse. 5 As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; And as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you.
Adulterous Israel is restored to that joyful, innocent age of long ago when she was God’s virgin spouse. This marriage theme evokes thoughts of the marriage feast at Cana (our Gospel reading for today) and the marriage feast of the Lamb (Revelation 21:1-4). The Church, the new Israel, is the bride of Christ as foretold in Hosea 2:16-20 (Hosea 2:18-22 in the New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible).
2nd Reading - 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
In Saint Paul’s time, Corinth was the capital of the province of Achaia and the seat of the Roman proconsul. Julius Caesar built it (44 B.C.) on the ruins of a Greek city of the same name. It had two ports – one in the Aegean Sea and one on the Gulf of Lepanto. Its excellent geographical position soon made it a prominent center of commerce, with a much higher standard of living than its neighbors. It was also a loose living city, rendering religious cult to the goddess Venus, a serious threat to those, Jews or Christians, who worshiped the true God.
Saint Paul established a Christian community at Corinth during his second missionary journey (A.D. 50-52). He preached the Gospel there for 12 years, aided by Silas and Timothy. Due to his remarkable zeal, quite a number of people were converted to the true faith, some of them Jews. Very soon many Jews in the city became openly hostile to the Apostle’s preaching, but since they had little social influence they failed to obstruct his work. This may explain why the proconsul Gallio refused to listen to the charges they brought against him (Acts 18:12ff).
More data are available on the social makeup of the Corinthian church than of any other. There was a solid nucleus of Jews but many pagans. The very top and bottom of the Greco-Roman social scale are absent. The social status of most is shot through with ambiguity – they rate high in some areas but low in others, e.g., rich but female (Phoebe), a city official but an ex-slave (Erastus), a skilled artisan but a Jew with a wife of higher social rank (Aquila). Fueled by frustration, such individuals did not cease to question and explore once they had accepted Christianity, and so generated a greater diversity of problems for Paul than any other church. In particular, they welcomed other visions of Christianity and competed with one another for spiritual prestige.
Saint Paul was in Ephesus when three influential Corinthians brought him a letter in which they and others asked for guidance on matters they found problematic. They probably explained and expanded on the information contained in the letter, asking him to go quickly to Corinth. Saint Paul preferred to postpone going to Corinth in order to give everyone more time for reflection and repentance – this is why he wrote his first letter, shortly before Easter 57. It is not a doctrinal treatise like Romans – it is more like an acknowledgment of their letter and answers about the things which were worrying them.
In our reading today Paul addresses the gifts of the Spirit and answers the Corinthian question of the hierarchy of spiritual gifts. Paul had discerned an egocentric competitiveness that was detrimental to Church unity.
4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; 5 there are different forms of service but the same Lord; 6 there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. 7 To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.
Since all of the gifts have a common origin they should serve a common purpose.
“Since no one has the capacity to receive all spiritual gifts, but the grace of the Spirit is given proportionately to the faith of each, when one is living in community with others, the grace privately bestowed on each individual becomes the common possession of the others. ... One who receives any of these gifts does not possess it for his own sake but rather for the sake of others.” [Saint Basil the Great (ca. A.D. 370), Rules Treated At Length 7]
8 To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; 10 to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues.
The list of gifts is not exhaustive (see also 1 Corinthians 12:27-30; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11). Precise definitions are impossible and many of the meanings which have been assumed are arbitrary.
11 But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
Since the same Spirit distributes (gives) and produces (makes them operate), no one should be puffed up with pride – all is given for the common good. One who possesses a gift and does not share it not only deprives themselves of its benefits, they deprive the entire community and the gift is lost.
“It belongs to God’s justice that He divides and to His power that He divides according to His will or because He wishes to give to each one what He knows will be of profit.” [Saint
Ambrose of Milan (A.D. 385), Letter to Bishop 20]
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Isaiah 62:1-5
Isaiah, the greatest of the prophets, lived during the period 759-694 B.C. He was of the tribe of Judah and his home was in Jerusalem. The kingdom was divided and Israel, the northern kingdom, was occupied by the Assyrians. Judah, the southern kingdom, although not occupied, is an Assyrian vassal state. In about the year 704, Egyptian ambassadors came to Jerusalem with presents and fine words to persuade the Judean king (Hezekiah) to break with the Assyrian king and to join a coalition against him. The king of Babylon has already been won over, and the Philistines are to be approached. A concentrated attack is to be launched against Assyria. All Jerusalem seems to favor the alliance – all Jerusalem that is, except Isaiah who knew that faith in the power of Yahweh would save the nation and that an appeal to an outside nation was an insult to Yahweh. If the alliance were made, bad things would happen to Judah. Isaiah even went so far as to discard his outer garment and put on that of a prisoner of war – he then walked barefoot through the streets of Jerusalem with a sign that said “So shall the king of the Assyrians lead away the prisoners of Egypt.” The king of Judah (Hezekiah) joined the alliance and the Assyrians marched down the Mediterranean coast, driving Egyptians and Philistines before them and taking city after city. The Assyrian king laid siege to Jerusalem and demanded an unconditional and immediate surrender. Now, the people crowded the courts of the temple, falling all over each other in their eagerness to make peace with God with their offerings. Isaiah, whose trust in God had never wavered, was praying in the Temple when King Hezekiah implored him to intercede with God in behalf of the Holy City. Isaiah assured the king that the Assyrian king would not occupy or otherwise harm Jerusalem. Holy scripture records: “Says the Lord: ‘For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.’ Then the angel of the Lord set out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; when morning dawned, they were all dead bodies. Then the king of Assyria left, went home” (Isaiah 37:35-37). The afflictions which had come upon the people of Judah and Jerusalem were of their own making. By their wickedness they had drawn down upon themselves the wrath of Yahweh. Beneath an outward show of prosperity lay rottenness – commercial greed, extortion and graft, oppression of the poor, spendthrift luxury, drunkenness, glaring immorality. Isaiah strikes relentlessly at these vices of his people. He seeks to startle the nation into repentance and reform by predicting the doom that God is preparing for it, if it perseveres in its wickedness. But Isaiah is not merely the prophet of doom; he is also the prophet of hope and consolation. Many words of comfort are spoken to the people in the dark hours of affliction. Recall that the role of a prophet is not that of a soothsayer – he does not predict the future. The prophet’s role it to monitor the status of the covenant with God – to warn of the curses which will come if the covenant is not kept and to point to the blessings which will come through obedience. As Peter Kreeft says “A prophet is like a finger – we are not to look at him, but to where he points.”
Today’s reading points to the glorious future which is in store for the faithful in the new Zion – the new Jerusalem. If it sounds familiar, we heard it last at the Vigil of Christmas.
62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
The names Zion and Jerusalem are interchangeable. The city of Jerusalem is built upon Mount Zion while the Temple is on Mount Moriah.
Until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a burning torch.
The day of vindication of God (Isaiah 61:2) shines brightly and quickly like a desert sunrise (Isaiah 60:1). Never did this hope seem closer to fulfillment than on the feast of Tabernacles, when lights were kindled “at the place of the water drawing” so bright that “there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that was not illuminated by the light of the place.” The temple of Solomon was dedicated at the feast of Tabernacles and the Ark of the Covenant was introduced into Jerusalem by David at this feast. According to the Talmud, people lived in booths for the seven days of the feast. On the first night the temple area was brightly illuminated by lamps and torches and ceremonial dancing was done. Tabernacles are seen by some scholars as a renewal of the covenant as there was a regular reading of the Law.
2 Nations shall behold your vindication, and all kings your glory; You shall be called by a new name pronounced by the mouth of the LORD. 3 You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem held by your God.
A diadem is a crown worn as a sign of royalty. This image refers back to the ancient practice of showing the local deity wearing a crown which was patterned after the city walls. Yahweh holds His crown in His hands because Jerusalem is His possession.
4 No more shall men call you “Forsaken,” or your land “Desolate,”
When the covenant with Yahweh is violated, the curses are called down upon the people (Leviticus 26:21-22; 2 Chronicles 24:20).
But you shall be called “My Delight,” and your land “Espoused.”
The promises of Hosea 2:18-20 are not forgotten, even though Israel has had adulterous relationships with Baals.
For the LORD delights in you, and makes your land his spouse. 5 As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; And as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you.
Adulterous Israel is restored to that joyful, innocent age of long ago when she was God’s virgin spouse. This marriage theme evokes thoughts of the marriage feast at Cana (our Gospel reading for today) and the marriage feast of the Lamb (Revelation 21:1-4). The Church, the new Israel, is the bride of Christ as foretold in Hosea 2:16-20 (Hosea 2:18-22 in the New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible).
2nd Reading - 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
In Saint Paul’s time, Corinth was the capital of the province of Achaia and the seat of the Roman proconsul. Julius Caesar built it (44 B.C.) on the ruins of a Greek city of the same name. It had two ports – one in the Aegean Sea and one on the Gulf of Lepanto. Its excellent geographical position soon made it a prominent center of commerce, with a much higher standard of living than its neighbors. It was also a loose living city, rendering religious cult to the goddess Venus, a serious threat to those, Jews or Christians, who worshiped the true God.
Saint Paul established a Christian community at Corinth during his second missionary journey (A.D. 50-52). He preached the Gospel there for 12 years, aided by Silas and Timothy. Due to his remarkable zeal, quite a number of people were converted to the true faith, some of them Jews. Very soon many Jews in the city became openly hostile to the Apostle’s preaching, but since they had little social influence they failed to obstruct his work. This may explain why the proconsul Gallio refused to listen to the charges they brought against him (Acts 18:12ff).
More data are available on the social makeup of the Corinthian church than of any other. There was a solid nucleus of Jews but many pagans. The very top and bottom of the Greco-Roman social scale are absent. The social status of most is shot through with ambiguity – they rate high in some areas but low in others, e.g., rich but female (Phoebe), a city official but an ex-slave (Erastus), a skilled artisan but a Jew with a wife of higher social rank (Aquila). Fueled by frustration, such individuals did not cease to question and explore once they had accepted Christianity, and so generated a greater diversity of problems for Paul than any other church. In particular, they welcomed other visions of Christianity and competed with one another for spiritual prestige.
Saint Paul was in Ephesus when three influential Corinthians brought him a letter in which they and others asked for guidance on matters they found problematic. They probably explained and expanded on the information contained in the letter, asking him to go quickly to Corinth. Saint Paul preferred to postpone going to Corinth in order to give everyone more time for reflection and repentance – this is why he wrote his first letter, shortly before Easter 57. It is not a doctrinal treatise like Romans – it is more like an acknowledgment of their letter and answers about the things which were worrying them.
In our reading today Paul addresses the gifts of the Spirit and answers the Corinthian question of the hierarchy of spiritual gifts. Paul had discerned an egocentric competitiveness that was detrimental to Church unity.
4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; 5 there are different forms of service but the same Lord; 6 there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. 7 To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.
Since all of the gifts have a common origin they should serve a common purpose.
“Since no one has the capacity to receive all spiritual gifts, but the grace of the Spirit is given proportionately to the faith of each, when one is living in community with others, the grace privately bestowed on each individual becomes the common possession of the others. ... One who receives any of these gifts does not possess it for his own sake but rather for the sake of others.” [Saint Basil the Great (ca. A.D. 370), Rules Treated At Length 7]
8 To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; 10 to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues.
The list of gifts is not exhaustive (see also 1 Corinthians 12:27-30; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11). Precise definitions are impossible and many of the meanings which have been assumed are arbitrary.
11 But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
Since the same Spirit distributes (gives) and produces (makes them operate), no one should be puffed up with pride – all is given for the common good. One who possesses a gift and does not share it not only deprives themselves of its benefits, they deprive the entire community and the gift is lost.
“It belongs to God’s justice that He divides and to His power that He divides according to His will or because He wishes to give to each one what He knows will be of profit.” [Saint
Ambrose of Milan (A.D. 385), Letter to Bishop 20]
Gospel - John 2:1-11
Our reading for today is the familiar wedding feast at Cana. It takes place on the third day from John 1:43. To understand the imagery involved, we must go back to John 1:1: “In the beginning...” This is Genesis imagery. John 1:29: “the next day”; John 1:35: “the next day”; John 1:43: “the next day”, which makes it the fourth day; then today’s reading “the third day”. The third day, the day of resurrection, occurs on the seventh day of the Genesis imagery; the day of covenant when God’s new creation, Jesus, manifests His glory.
2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
Cana is located near (within nine miles of) Nazareth which is where Mary was when Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
2 Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
Marriage feasts were family affairs – the fact that Mary and Jesus and His disciples had been invited suggests that they were related to either the bride or groom. The marriage feast lasted for a week – quite a lot of mouths to feed.
3 When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
Mary’s observation to our Lord is not precisely a request for a miracle, although she is obviously counting on the resourcefulness of her Son. Her concern suggests again that the feast is for a close relative who will be embarrassed.
4 (And) Jesus said to her, “Woman,
Nowhere in any of the Gospels does Jesus address Mary as “mother.” To address someone as “woman” is not disrespectful, it would be like calling her “madam” in a formal setting. In Genesis imagery however, this is the name given to Eve before the fall when she was still sinless and pure in God’s eyes. Mary is the New Eve, conceived sinless and sinless throughout her life.
how does your concern affect me?
Literally, “what to me and to you” – the precise meaning must be determined from the context. It is not a rebuttal or rebuke. The oriental way of speaking (Jerusalem is part of Asia, not Europe) can have different nuances. Jesus’ reply seems to indicate that although in principle it was not part of God’s plan for Him to use His power to solve the problem the wedding feast has run into, our Lady’s request moves Him to do precisely that. Also, one could surmise that God’s plan was that Jesus should work the miracle at His mother’s request.
My hour has not yet come.”
The term “hour” is sometimes used by Jesus to designate the moment of His coming in glory (see John 5:28), but generally it refers to the time of His passion, death and resurrection (see John 7:30; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1).
5 His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Mary knows perfectly what her son’s reply means – though to us it is ambiguous – she is confident that Jesus will come to the family’s (His family’s?) rescue. She has complete confidence in Jesus’ ability to resolve the problem. She addresses the servants in the words of Genesis 41:55.
6 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
Jewish customs demanded washings before and after eating (Greek: baptismois). Stone was used because in Jewish belief stone could not contract ritual uncleanliness.
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
6 x 20 = 120 gallons; a lot of water, soon to become wine
7 Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.”
Jesus’ directions to the servants indicates that He had some special relationship with the host family – one does not go around giving orders to other people’s servants.
So they filled them to the brim.
The fact that they were filled “to the brim” emphasizes the superabundance of the riches of redemption and also shows how precisely the servants did what they were told – it is important to be docile in fulfilling the will of God, even in small details. Christ’s word alone is sufficient to effect the change and there are now 120 to 180 gallons of top quality wine.
8 Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. 9 And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew),
Can you imagine the sniggering which must have been going on among the servers? They know that this is water which has been used for washing the feet of the guests; and now they are seeing the headwaiter drink it.
the headwaiter called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.”
At Gentile banquets one of the guests usually assumed the position of “master of the banquet” as a mark of honor. The familiarity with which this headwaiter addresses the bridegroom may indicate that the Jews followed a similar custom.
11 Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee
The word “sign” repeatedly appears in the first half of John’s gospel. Pre-eminent among these are Jesus’ miracles, of which John records only seven. They are called “signs” not only because they worked to encourage belief, but because they signify Christ for what He is.
and so revealed his glory,
Although The Word concealed His glory in becoming flesh, the Gospel is witness to its having been perceived by men. The Gospel is testimony not to the Eternal Word but to the Word Become Flesh.
and his disciples began to believe in him.
Conclusion
This whole story, set in a Genesis format in John’s gospel, also has a common theme:
Chapter 1 - The baptism of Jesus
Chapter 2 - The first miracle - baptismois
Chapter 3 - The encounter with Nicodemus - baptize with water and the Spirit. In 3:22 it appears that Jesus baptizes – the only note of His so doing in Holy Scripture.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, JOHN 2:1-11
(Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 96; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, JOHN 2:1-11
(Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 96; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
KEY VERSE: "Do whatever he tells you" (v.5).
TO KNOW: In Jesus' day, wedding feasts typically lasted several days. Guests had to travel many miles to outlying villages, and the hosts had to provide adequate food and drink for them. Mary and Jesus, along with his disciples, were invited to a wedding at Cana, some nine miles northeast of Nazareth. Jesus' mother noticed that the young couple had run out of wine and interceded with Jesus on their behalf. Jesus addressed his mother by the unconventional title "woman." Mary was the new Eve whose offspring, Jesus, would crush the head of the ancient serpent, Satan (Gen 3:15), through his death and resurrection. Her request initiated her son's power even though the time for him to reveal his glory had not yet come. The people were enthralled at the new wine poured out from the water jars, which were used for ritual purification. Jesus' mother Mary was present at this first "hour" of her son's glory as she would be at his final "hour" of agony (Jn 19:25). On the cross, Jesus would shed water and blood for the people's redemption. Once again he called his mother "woman." Mary is the New Eve whose obedience to God brought about salvation. She is the Mother of the Church who shelters the faithful, who are symbolized by Jesus' disciple John (Jn 19:26-27).
TO LOVE: Can I obey Mary's instruction: "Do whatever he tells you"?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, fill the empty "water jar" of my life with faith and devotion to you.
Sunday 20 January 2019
Week II Psalter. 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Isaiah 62:1-5. Psalm 95(96):1-3, 7-10. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. John 2:1-11.
Isaiah 62:1-5. Psalm 95(96):1-3, 7-10. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. John 2:1-11.
Proclaim his marvellous deeds to all the
nations – Psalm 95(96):1-3, 7-10.
‘Do whatever he tells you.’
Today’s first reading speaks of the great joy and delight that
God takes in us. The psalmist tells us to sing a new song. The reading from
Corinthians celebrates the many and diverse gifts of the Spirit and reminds us
that all the unique gifts we have as individuals should be shared for the
common good.
Jesus’ miracle at Cana is about the celebration and
transformation of the community gathered at the wedding feast. God delights in
us and we are made to be people of joy. Do we remember to delight in the gift
that is this human experience and our relationships with each other?
Saint Sebastian
Saint of the Day for January 20
(c. 256 – January 20, 287)
 |
| San Sebastiano | Pietro Perugino |
Saint Sebastian’s Story
Almost nothing is historically certain about Sebastian except
that he was a Roman martyr, was venerated in Milan even in the time of
Saint Ambrose and was buried on the Appian Way, probably near the present
Basilica of St. Sebastian. Devotion to him spread rapidly, and he is mentioned
in several martyrologies as early as 350.
The legend of Saint Sebastian is important in art, and
there is a vast iconography. Scholars now agree that a pious fable has
Sebastian entering the Roman army because only there could he assist the
martyrs without arousing suspicion. Finally he was found out, brought before
Emperor Diocletian and delivered to Mauritanian archers to be shot to death.
His body was pierced with arrows, and he was left for dead. But he was found
still alive by those who came to bury him. He recovered, but refused to flee.
One day he took up a position near where the emperor was to
pass. He accosted the emperor, denouncing him for his cruelty to Christians.
This time the sentence of death was carried out. Sebastian was beaten to death
with clubs. He was buried on the Appian Way, close to the catacombs that bear
his name.
Reflection
The fact that many of the early saints made such a tremendous
impression on the Church—awakening widespread devotion and great praise from
the greatest writers of the Church—is proof of the heroism of their lives. As
has been said, legends may not be literally true. Yet they may express the very
substance of the faith and courage evident in the lives of these heroes and
heroines of Christ.
Saint Sebastian is the Patron Saint of:
Athletes
LECTIO DIVINA: 2ND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (C)
Lectio Divina:
Sunday, January 20, 2019
The First Miracle of Jesus
“Do whatever He tells you!”
John 2:1-11
“Do whatever He tells you!”
John 2:1-11
1. OPENING PRAYER
Lord Jesus, send Your Spirit to help us to read the scriptures
with the same mind that You read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In
the light of the Word, written in the bible, You helped them to discover the
presence of God in the disturbing events of Your sentence and death. Thus, the
cross, that seemed to be the end of all hope, became for them the source of
life and of resurrection.
Create silence in us so that we may listen to Your voice in creation and in the scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May Your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, may experience the force of Your resurrection and witness to others that You are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of You, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed the Father to us and sent us Your Spirit. Amen.
Create silence in us so that we may listen to Your voice in creation and in the scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May Your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, may experience the force of Your resurrection and witness to others that You are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of You, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed the Father to us and sent us Your Spirit. Amen.
2. READING
a) A key to the reading:
The Gospel of this second Sunday of Ordinary Time places us
before the celebration of the Wedding at Cana, in Galilee. At that time, just
as now, everybody liked feasts: the feast for a marriage or for a Baptism, the
birthday party, the feast of the patron or patroness of the Church, the feast
at the end of the year, feasts and more feasts… There are some feasts which
remain engraved in our memory and which, over time, acquire a more
profound significance. Other feasts, we forget. We no longer remember them
because they have lost their significance. The feast of the wedding at Cana, as
it has been described in the Gospel of John (Jn 2:1-11), has remained alive in
the memory of the Christian people, and for some it has taken on a more
profound meaning. To understand this progressive discovery of the significance
of the wedding at Cana we must remember that the Gospel of John is different
from the other Gospels. John describes the facts of the life of Jesus in such a
way that the readers discover in them a more profound dimension, which only
faith can perceive. John, at the same time, presents a photograph or an x-ray.
This is why, during the reading, it is good to be very attentive to the details
of the text, especially to the two following things: (i) to the attitudes and
behavior of the people and (ii) to what is lacking and to the abundance which
appear in the wedding at Cana.
b) A division of the text to help in the
reading:
John 2:1-2: Feast of the wedding. Mary is present. Jesus is the
one who has been invited.
John 2:3-5: Jesus and His mother faced with the lack of wine.
John 2:6: The jars for the ablutions are empty.
John 2:7-8: The initiative of Jesus and of the servants.
John 2:9-10: The discovery of the sign by the chief wine steward
John 2:11: The Evangelist’s brief commentary
John 2:3-5: Jesus and His mother faced with the lack of wine.
John 2:6: The jars for the ablutions are empty.
John 2:7-8: The initiative of Jesus and of the servants.
John 2:9-10: The discovery of the sign by the chief wine steward
John 2:11: The Evangelist’s brief commentary
c) Text:
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus
was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the
wine ran short, 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." Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish
ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the
them, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter."
So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from — although the servers who had drawn the
water knew —, the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
"Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely,
an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now." Jesus did
this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his
glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.
3. A MOMENT OF PRAYERFUL SILENCE
so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.
4. SOME QUESTIONS
to help us in our personal reflection.
a) Which point in this text did you like best? Which one
impressed you the most? Why?
b) What struck you in the attitude and behavior of the people? Why?
c) What kind of lack and what kind of abundance was there in the feast? What is the significance of this detail?
d) What did Jesus do and how did He do it to offer wine in abundance?
e) Jesus begins the announcement of the Kingdom at a wedding feast. What does He want to teach us with this gesture?
f) What is the message of this text for us today?
b) What struck you in the attitude and behavior of the people? Why?
c) What kind of lack and what kind of abundance was there in the feast? What is the significance of this detail?
d) What did Jesus do and how did He do it to offer wine in abundance?
e) Jesus begins the announcement of the Kingdom at a wedding feast. What does He want to teach us with this gesture?
f) What is the message of this text for us today?
5. FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO GO DEEPER INTO THE THEME
a) The context in order to understand the
photograph and the x-ray:
When we say “photograph”, we indicate the facts in themselves,
just as they appear before our eyes. When we say “x-ray”, we are speaking of a
deeper dimension, invisible to our eyes, which is enclosed in the facts that
only faith reveals to us.
It is in the way in which John describes the facts that he takes an x-ray of the words and the gestures of Jesus. Through these small details and references, he uncovers the symbolic dimension and, in doing this, he helps us to penetrate more deeply into the mystery of the person and the message of Jesus. In the wedding at Cana, in Galilee, there is the change of the water of the ablutions of the Jews into the wine for the wedding feast. Let us look closely at the details with which John describes the feast, in a way that we can understand the deeper significance of this beautiful and well known episode.
It is in the way in which John describes the facts that he takes an x-ray of the words and the gestures of Jesus. Through these small details and references, he uncovers the symbolic dimension and, in doing this, he helps us to penetrate more deeply into the mystery of the person and the message of Jesus. In the wedding at Cana, in Galilee, there is the change of the water of the ablutions of the Jews into the wine for the wedding feast. Let us look closely at the details with which John describes the feast, in a way that we can understand the deeper significance of this beautiful and well known episode.
b) Comment on the text:
John 2:1-2: Wedding feast. Jesus has been invited.
In the Old Testament, the wedding feast was a symbol of God’s love for His people. That was what everyone expected in the future (Hos 2:21-22; Isa 62:4-5). It is precisely in a wedding feast, around a family and a community, that Jesus performs His first sign (Jn 2:11). The mother of Jesus was also at the feast. Jesus and His disciples had been invited. The mother of Jesus takes part in the celebration. This symbolizes the Old Testament. Together with His disciples Jesus is the New Testament which is arriving. The mother of Jesus will help to pass from the Old Testament to the New Testament.
In the Old Testament, the wedding feast was a symbol of God’s love for His people. That was what everyone expected in the future (Hos 2:21-22; Isa 62:4-5). It is precisely in a wedding feast, around a family and a community, that Jesus performs His first sign (Jn 2:11). The mother of Jesus was also at the feast. Jesus and His disciples had been invited. The mother of Jesus takes part in the celebration. This symbolizes the Old Testament. Together with His disciples Jesus is the New Testament which is arriving. The mother of Jesus will help to pass from the Old Testament to the New Testament.
John 2:3-5: Jesus and His mother faced with the lack of
wine.
Right in the middle of the celebration, the wine is depleted. The mother of Jesus recognizes the limitations of the Old Testament and takes the initiative, in order that the New Testament may be manifested. She approaches Jesus and says, “They have no wine!” Here we have the photograph and the x-ray. The photorepresents the mother of Jesus as someone who is attentive to the problems of others and is aware that the lack of wine would ruin the feast. She is not only aware of the problem, but also takes the initiative to solve it. The x-ray reveal the deepest dimension of the relationship between the Old Testament (the mother of Jesus) and the New Testament (Jesus). The statement, “They have no wine!” comes from the Old Testament and awakens in Jesus the action which will bring the New Testament to light. Jesus says, “Woman, what do you want from Me?” That is, what is the link between the Old and the New Testament? “My hour has not yet come!” Mary did not understand this response as negative, as a no, because she tells the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” It is in doing what Jesus teaches that one goes from the Old to the New Testament! Jesus’ hour, in which the passage from the Old to the New Testament will take place, is His Passion, Death and Resurrection. The changing of the water into wine is the anticipation of what is new, which will come from the Death and Resurrection of Jesus.
At the end of the first century, the first Christians debated the validity of the Old Testament. Some no longer wanted to know anything about the Old Testament. In the meeting of the apostles in Jerusalem, James defended the continuity of the use of the Old Testament (Acts 15:13-21). In fact, at the beginning of the second century, Marcion rejected the Old Testament and remained only with the books of the New Testament. Some even affirmed that after the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus of Nazareth should no longer be remembered, but that we should speak only of the Risen Christ. In the name of the Holy Spirit, they said: “Anathema Jesus!” (I Cor 12: 3).
Right in the middle of the celebration, the wine is depleted. The mother of Jesus recognizes the limitations of the Old Testament and takes the initiative, in order that the New Testament may be manifested. She approaches Jesus and says, “They have no wine!” Here we have the photograph and the x-ray. The photorepresents the mother of Jesus as someone who is attentive to the problems of others and is aware that the lack of wine would ruin the feast. She is not only aware of the problem, but also takes the initiative to solve it. The x-ray reveal the deepest dimension of the relationship between the Old Testament (the mother of Jesus) and the New Testament (Jesus). The statement, “They have no wine!” comes from the Old Testament and awakens in Jesus the action which will bring the New Testament to light. Jesus says, “Woman, what do you want from Me?” That is, what is the link between the Old and the New Testament? “My hour has not yet come!” Mary did not understand this response as negative, as a no, because she tells the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” It is in doing what Jesus teaches that one goes from the Old to the New Testament! Jesus’ hour, in which the passage from the Old to the New Testament will take place, is His Passion, Death and Resurrection. The changing of the water into wine is the anticipation of what is new, which will come from the Death and Resurrection of Jesus.
At the end of the first century, the first Christians debated the validity of the Old Testament. Some no longer wanted to know anything about the Old Testament. In the meeting of the apostles in Jerusalem, James defended the continuity of the use of the Old Testament (Acts 15:13-21). In fact, at the beginning of the second century, Marcion rejected the Old Testament and remained only with the books of the New Testament. Some even affirmed that after the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus of Nazareth should no longer be remembered, but that we should speak only of the Risen Christ. In the name of the Holy Spirit, they said: “Anathema Jesus!” (I Cor 12: 3).
John 2:6: The jars for the ablutions are empty.
It is a small point, but with significant detail. The jars were usually full, especially during a feast. Here they are empty! Why? The observance of the law of purification, symbolized by the six jars, has exhausted all their possibilities. The ancient law has already succeeded to prepare the people to be able to have the union of grace and justification before God. The jars, the old Covenant, are empty! They are no longer capable of generating new life.
It is a small point, but with significant detail. The jars were usually full, especially during a feast. Here they are empty! Why? The observance of the law of purification, symbolized by the six jars, has exhausted all their possibilities. The ancient law has already succeeded to prepare the people to be able to have the union of grace and justification before God. The jars, the old Covenant, are empty! They are no longer capable of generating new life.
John 2:7-8: Jesus and the servants.
The recommendation of the mother of Jesus to the servants is the last order of the Old Testament: “Do whatever He tells you!” The Old Testament looks toward Jesus. From now on, the words and gestures and actions of Jesus will be the ones to direct our life. Jesus calls the servants and orders them to fill the six empty jars. In all, over six hundred liters! He immediately orders them to draw from the jars and to take them to the chief steward. Jesus’ initiative takes place without the intervention of the chief steward. Neither Jesus, nor His mother, nor the servants, were obviously the bosses. None of them went to ask permission from the steward or the bridegroom. Renewal passes to the people who do not belong to the center of power.
The recommendation of the mother of Jesus to the servants is the last order of the Old Testament: “Do whatever He tells you!” The Old Testament looks toward Jesus. From now on, the words and gestures and actions of Jesus will be the ones to direct our life. Jesus calls the servants and orders them to fill the six empty jars. In all, over six hundred liters! He immediately orders them to draw from the jars and to take them to the chief steward. Jesus’ initiative takes place without the intervention of the chief steward. Neither Jesus, nor His mother, nor the servants, were obviously the bosses. None of them went to ask permission from the steward or the bridegroom. Renewal passes to the people who do not belong to the center of power.
John 2:9-10: Discovery of the sign by the president of
the feast.
The chief steward tasted the water transformed into wine and said to the bridegroom, “Everyone serves good wine first. But you have kept the best wine until now!” The chief steward, the Old Testament, recognizes publicly that the New is better! Where before there was water for the rite of ablutions of the Jews, now there is abundant wine for the feast. There was a lot of wine: over six hundred liters, and the feast was almost over! What is the meaning of this abundance? What was done with the wine which was left over? We are drinking it even now!
The chief steward tasted the water transformed into wine and said to the bridegroom, “Everyone serves good wine first. But you have kept the best wine until now!” The chief steward, the Old Testament, recognizes publicly that the New is better! Where before there was water for the rite of ablutions of the Jews, now there is abundant wine for the feast. There was a lot of wine: over six hundred liters, and the feast was almost over! What is the meaning of this abundance? What was done with the wine which was left over? We are drinking it even now!
John 2:11: Comment of the Evangelist.
This is the first sign. In the fourth Gospel, the first sign takes place to help in the building up of the family, of the community, in order to mend the relationships among people. Six other signs will follow. John does not use the word miracle, but sign. The word sign indicates that the actions of Jesus on behalf of the people have a more profound value, that can only be discovered with the x-ray of faith. The small community which had formed around Jesus that week, seeing the sign, was ready to accept the deeper significance and “believe in Him”.
This is the first sign. In the fourth Gospel, the first sign takes place to help in the building up of the family, of the community, in order to mend the relationships among people. Six other signs will follow. John does not use the word miracle, but sign. The word sign indicates that the actions of Jesus on behalf of the people have a more profound value, that can only be discovered with the x-ray of faith. The small community which had formed around Jesus that week, seeing the sign, was ready to accept the deeper significance and “believe in Him”.
c) Extending the information:
* A much expected wedding
In the Gospel of John, the beginning of Jesus’ public life takes
place at a wedding feast, a moment of great joy and of great hope. For this
same reason, the wedding at Cana has intense symbolic significance. In the
Bible, matrimony is the image used to signify the realization of the perfect
union between God and His people. This marriage between God and His people was
expected for a long time, for over eight hundred years!
It was prophet Hosea (around the year 750 BC) who, for the first
time, represented the hope of this marriage when he narrates the parable of the
infidelity of the people before the proposal of Yahweh. The monarchy in Israel
had abandoned Yahweh and His mercy, leading the people toward false gods. But
the prophet, sure of God’s love, says that the people will be led once again to
the desert to listen to the following promise from God: “I shall betroth you to
Myself forever. I shall betroth you in uprightness and justice, and faithful
love and tenderness. Yes, I shall betroth you to Myself in loyalty and in the
knowledge of Yahweh!” (Hos 2:21-22). This marriage between God and the people
indicates that the ideal of the exodus will be attained (Hos 2:4-25). About a
hundred and fifty years later, the prophet Jeremiah takes the words of Hosea to
denounce the monarchy of Judah. And he says that Judah will have the same
destiny as Israel because of its infidelity (Jer 2:2-5; 3:11-13). But Jeremiah
also looks towards the hope of a perfect marriage with the following novelty:
it will be the woman who will seduce the husband (Jer 31:22). And in spite of
the crisis created by the Babylonian exile, the people do not lose hope that
one day this marriage will take place. Yahweh will have compassion on His
abandoned spouse (Isa 54:1-8). With the return of the exiled, the “abandoned
one” will again be the spouse accepted with great joy (Isa 62:4-5).
Finally, looking at the events which are taking place, John the
Baptist looks towards Jesus, the awaited bridegroom (Jn 3:29). In His teachings
and conversations with the people, Jesus takes back Hosea’s parable, the dream
of the perfect marriage. He presents Himself as the long-awaited
bridegroom (Mk 2:19). In His conversation with the Samaritan woman, He
discreetly presents Himself as the true bridegroom, the seventh one (Jn
4:16-17). The Christian communities will accept Jesus as the expected
bridegroom (2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25-31). The wedding at Cana wishes to show that
Jesus is the true bridegroom who arrives for the long expected wedding,
bringing a tasteful and abundant wine. This definitive marriage is described
with beautiful images in the book of Apocalypse (Rev 19:7-8; 21:2).
* The Mother of Jesus in the Gospel of John
Even though she is never called by the name of Mary, the mother
of Jesus appears two times in the Gospel of John: at the beginning of the
wedding at Cana (Jn 2:1-5), and at the end, at the foot of the Cross (Jn
19:25-27). In both cases she represents the Old Testament which is waiting for
the New one to arrive, and, in both cases, she contributes to the arrival of
the New One. Mary is the bond of union between what was before and what will
come afterwards. At Cana, she, the mother of Jesus, symbol of the Old Testament,
is the one who perceives the limitations of the Old Testament and takes the
necessary steps in order to proceed to the New one. At the foot of the Cross,
she is at the side of the “Beloved Disciple”. The Beloved Disciple is the
community which grows around Jesus. He is the son born from the Old Testament.
At the request of Jesus, the son, the New Testament, receives Mary, the Old
Testament, in his house. Both of them have to walk together. In fact, the New
cannot be understood without the Old. The New Testament would have no basis,
foundation. And the Old without the New would be incomplete: a tree without
fruit.
* The Seven Days of the New Creation
The text begins by saying: “On the third day” (Jn
2:1). In the previous chapter, John had already repeated the expression: “On
the following day” (Jn 1:29,35,43). Considering this, it offers the
following schema: The witness of John the Baptist to Jesus (Jn 1:19-28) takes
place on the first day. “The day after” (Jn 1:29), that is the second day, is
the Baptism of Jesus (Jn 1: 29-34). The third day, the call of the disciples
and Peter takes place (Jn 1:35-42). On the fourth day, Jesus calls Philip, and
Philip calls Nathanael (Jn 1:43-51). Finally, “three days later” that
is on the seventh day, that is, on Saturday, the first sign, that
of the wedding at Cana, takes place (Jn 2, 1). Throughout the Gospel, Jesus
performs seven signs.
John uses the outline of the week to present
the beginning of Jesus’ activity. The Old Testament uses the same outline
to present creation. In the first six days, God created all things calling them
by name. On the seventh day He rested, and worked no more (Gen 1:1-2: 4). In
the same way, Jesus, in the first days of His activity, calls the people
and creates the community, the new humanity. On the seventh day, that is, on
Saturday, Jesus does not rest, but works the first sign. Throughout the next
chapters, from 2 until 19 included, He performs six other signs, always on
Saturday (Jn 5:16; 9:14). Finally, in the morning of the Resurrection, when
Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb, it is said, “the first day of the week” (Jn
20:1). It is the first day of the new creation, after that prolonged Saturday
in which Jesus worked the seven signs. Accused of working on Saturday, Jesus
answers, “My Father still goes on working and I am at work too” (Jn 5:17).
Through the activity of Jesus between Cana and the Cross, the Father completes
what is lacking in the old creation, in a way in which the new creation can
emerge in the Resurrection of Jesus.
6. PRAY WITH PSALM 148
Alleluia! Praise Yahweh from the heavens,
praise Him in the heights.
Praise Him, all His angels,
praise Him, all His host!
praise Him in the heights.
Praise Him, all His angels,
praise Him, all His host!
Praise Him, sun and moon,
praise Him, all shining stars,
praise Him, highest heavens,
praise Him, waters above the heavens.
praise Him, all shining stars,
praise Him, highest heavens,
praise Him, waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of Yahweh
at whose command they were made;
He established them for ever
and ever by an unchanging decree.
at whose command they were made;
He established them for ever
and ever by an unchanging decree.
Praise Yahweh from the earth,
sea-monsters and all the depths,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
storm-winds that obey His word,
mountains and every hill,
orchards and every cedar,
wild animals and all cattle,
reptiles and winged birds,
kings of the earth and all nations,
princes and all judges on earth,
young men and girls,
old people and children together.
sea-monsters and all the depths,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
storm-winds that obey His word,
mountains and every hill,
orchards and every cedar,
wild animals and all cattle,
reptiles and winged birds,
kings of the earth and all nations,
princes and all judges on earth,
young men and girls,
old people and children together.
Let them praise the name of Yahweh,
for His name alone is sublime,
His splendor transcends earth and heaven.
For He heightens the strength of His people,
to the praise of all His faithful,
the children of Israel,
the people close to Him.
for His name alone is sublime,
His splendor transcends earth and heaven.
For He heightens the strength of His people,
to the praise of all His faithful,
the children of Israel,
the people close to Him.
7. FINAL PRAYER
Lord Jesus, we thank You for the word that has enabled us to
understand better the will of the Father. May Your Spirit enlighten our actions
and grant us the strength to practice what Your Word has revealed to us. May
we, like Mary, Your mother, not only listen to but also practice the Word, You
who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and
ever. Amen.
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