Even in Ordinary Time, God is doing extraordinary work to sanctify time and the world.
After celebrating His manifestations at the Birth of Christ, the Epiphany, and the Baptism of the Lord, Jesus once again manifests God's divine presence with the first of His signs at the wedding at Cana.
When there is an implitictly urgent need to make more wine available, to save the newly married couple some embarrassment, Mary confidently turns to Jesus and directs the servants to follow His directives.
In a rather subtle way, Jesus provides an abundance of high-quality wine.
It's fitting that this first sign of Jesus in the Gospel according to St. John happens at a wedding:
God wedded Heaven and Earth by the coming of Jesus, Who brings us back into right relationship with the Father. Jesus shows how greatly the Father delights in us, lavishing His love in the same way a groom delights in and loves his bride.
I find it apt to hear this Gospel passage proclaimed this weekend, because 5 years ago this weekend, I was in Florida to celebrate the marriage of my brother and sister-in-law. A day later, I visited the Mission Nombre de Dios, the site of the first Mass held in the present-day USA, on September 8, 1565, when the Spanish came ashore to found St. Augustine. Our Church has gathered at Mass for so long, because it is so important that we gather to recognize how God is present among us, and how He is wedding us back to Himself.
Aware of His presence among us, we are called to believe, just as the disciples came to believe in Christ. And living in faith, we take up the great gifts God gives us through the Spirit, Who grants gifts specifically to each of us, so that together, as One Body, we can participate in the (Christmas) work of continuing to make God known in the world.
 |
| At the center of this photo is the window in Ascension Parish depicting the scene in today's Gospel reading. |
No comments:
Post a Comment