Sharing the Word – January-20-2019 – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time(Year C)
The Readings: 1st Reading; Isaiah 62 : 1 – 5.
Responsorial Psalm; Ps 95:1-3, 7- 10
2nd Reading; 1 Corinthians 12 : 4 – 11.
Gospel; John 2 : 1 – 11.
In the first reading, we hear some comforting words that use a marital theme for emphasis. The love poem-like verses foretell of the new relationship between God and the hitherto desecrated temple and city of Jerusalem. The relationship will take a new name as most of us do at marriage, but this new name will be given by God. The new name comes with plenty of blessings.
In the second reading, Paul tells the Christians at Corinth, as he tells us today, that each of us receives different gifts from the same Spirit. The superabundance and variety of gifts are to be used for the glorification of the Lord. One person receives this and the other that, so that we can complement one another. It is not for you alone that you receive the gifts. What do you do with your gifts?
In the Gospel, , John presents the account of the changing of the water into wine at the marriage feast in Cana, Jesus’ first public miracle. Jesus chose to do this for a young couple to save them from embarrassment. This is a remarkable act of kindness to marriage. He provides superabundance for marriage as He does for our everyday lives. The mediation of His mother for this provision is something we cannot lose sight of. Does Mary speak her last words recorded in the Gospel here? “Do whatever He tells you”!. I do not seem to see any records of her speaking again in the Gospel. I take this as her last words to us followers of Jesus.
Mothers are usually special to us. They care and mediate when our fathers are hard on us for our little follies. They communicate with us in very many ways, verbal and non-verbal and we understand them quite more often than we do our fathers. They, in fact have a special place in our upbringing. This is how Mary is to Jesus. She does not only care for Jesus, she cares for all. She understands who Jesus is and does not fail to ask Him for favours on our behalf. She does so even when we do not ask, because as a mother, she knows our needs. What more when we ask Jesus for favours through her? How motherly are you? Is your motherhood only over your own children? Even at that, what training do you give them, care or deceit?
Mary keeps asking Jesus to come into our situations of need. She asks Him to become our wine of life. Jesus is the new wine in our lives. His presence in us should give us new names, like the new name of the city of Jerusalem that we hear in the first reading. Names that reflect our output. Names that announce who we are. Names that oblige us to be who we are suppose to be. His coming tells us that pump, fanfare and pageantry around us like at the marriage feast in Cana, has to change, turning even happy situations to happiest ones.
Those around Him in Cana, including His disciples accept Him as the Son of God. Their acceptance also makes them a new people, like the new people prophesied in the first reading by the prophet Isaiah. A new people coming from chaos of darkness into light. When we accept Jesus as our Saviour, we experience our own first miracle of change – we are changed from chaotic darkness into God’s light. How do we live this change? Quite often we become the smart guys and use Jesus’ name in vain.
I remember this story in a neighbouring country. A law banned the importation of alcohol but the local whisky did not match the quality of the imported brands. Travelers would smuggle whisky into the country. Religious leaders were not usually checked at the entry points as vigorously as other travelers, as custom officials regarded them to be more law abiding. Once a cleric traveled abroad on pilgrimage and on his way back, bought a bottle of some strong whisky . He hoped to pass through customs unchecked as usual. Unfortunately for him, after he declared not carrying any contraband, the custom officer insisted to check his luggage and lo! came out a bottle of whisky. The cleric claimed it was a bottle of holy water. When he was asked to taste it, he did and jumped up shouting; “the Lord has done it again”! Of course, that Jesus had changed water again into not only wine this time around but into whisky!
With the coming of Jesus the wine of God’s love, truthfulness, forgiveness, acceptance and peace has come into the world. It is made freely available to all those who answer the invitation to partake of the banquet of the Kingdom of God, as at the banquet of the wedding in Cana. We can feast at this banquet in faith that He is our Saviour who came to transform us.
With His coming a great transformation happened. Everywhere He went the old was made new. At Cana He changed the water into wine. At Naim for a poor widow He changed tears into joy. At Jericho for Zacchaeus He changed selfishness into generosity. On Calvary for the good thief He changed despair into hope. On Easter morning He changed death into life. For me and probably for you too, He has changed darkness into light and transformed life in a manner which only He can. What a pity if we settled for the old wine when the new wine is offered in such superabundance to all who seek it in their need.
With His coming a great transformation happened. Everywhere He went the old was made new. At Cana He changed the water into wine. At Naim for a poor widow He changed tears into joy. At Jericho for Zacchaeus He changed selfishness into generosity. On Calvary for the good thief He changed despair into hope. On Easter morning He changed death into life. For me and probably for you too, He has changed darkness into light and transformed life in a manner which only He can. What a pity if we settled for the old wine when the new wine is offered in such superabundance to all who seek it in their need.
A Little Prayer.
Lord Jesus, thank You for calling me out of darkness into your wonderful light.May this Your miracle change me Lord, so that I may be able to contain the new wine, and then through me, may it flow to others around me, in my family, in my community and the world will know that you live in me. Amen.
Have a Blessed Week!
Bobe Talla Toh
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