Celebrating 100 over years in Irondequoit
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Cycle C
- Q250: I thought Jesus only worked miracles of healing the sick, or curing lepers, or feeding the hungry crowds, and so on. But his very "first miracle" in John's gospel (Jn 2:1-11) is to enable a "party" well under way to continue with even more and better alcohol. What is going on here?
- Different Ministries but the Same Lord
- Q406: What is the point of a story (John 2:1-12) that talks about reproducing alcohol in huge quantities, to a wedding reception party in Cana already well underway?
- Q563: Water changed into wine: is there more going on here than just a miracle?
Q250: I thought Jesus only worked miracles of healing the sick, or curing lepers, or feeding the hungry crowds, and so on. But his very "first miracle" in John's gospel (Jn 2:1-11) is to enable a "party" well under way to continue with even more and better alcohol. What is going on here?
I've often wondered (when I give in to my funny bone) whether, after the Cana event, Jesus and his mother were eagerly sought after to be invited to all kinds of parties… Of course, those sending the invitations would have no ulterior motives… :-)
We need to remember that the evangelist John makes great use of metaphor, as do all of the writers of scripture. His stories have a much deeper meaning than the words alone would indicate. The audience of those days - in St. John's case, his church community - would also easily make the "connection" between the words used and their special significance. For example, "wedding party" when used in a context of scripture almost invariably is a reference to the theme "Kingdom of God" or messianic banquet.
So in this Cana story, we see Jesus use six stone jars of water (used for Jewish rites of purification), and replace their contents (simple water) with something far more valuable and important in daily life (rich and "good" wine). Not only that, he provides them with almost 180 gallons of this wonderful, joy-giving liquid! The message is clear: an abundance of blessings awaits those who invite Jesus into their homes. All they have to do is to put Jesus at the center of their lives and follow him on a pilgrim journey that will be abundant in spiritual blessings beyond their wildest dreams. Jesus is replacing the Jewish rituals with his own person (becoming Eucharist for us). "Do whatever he tells you" is the teaching from Mary that we need to take to heart and put into practice.
Know Your Catechism! So many lessons are contained in today's gospel! Mary's role as our model for intercessory prayer is revealed (CCC #2618). It was his Mother's request that launched his public ministry and revealed his glory (ibid), so we need to trust in Mary's intercession. Finally, the Church sees the presence of Jesus at the wedding as a confirmation of the goodness of marriage between a man and a woman, and also a proclamation that marriage will henceforth be an efficacious and sacramental sign of Christ's presence (CCC #1613).
Different Ministries but the Same Lord
Every young person dreams he will grow up to be a great figure in the world. Every senior citizen realizes that over the years he has accomplished very little. If the senior is unrealistic, he mourns the unfulfilled dream. If a realist, he thanks God for allowing him a few minor victories during his life.
Pierre Toussaint was a realist from youth to old age. He was a black slave, but he understood that God had made him black and a slave so as to work out his salvation in that social context.
Toussaint was born in Haiti in 1766 and died in New York City in 1853. He was a slave of the Berards, a French family of Haitian plantation owners; but being a house-slave rather than a field-slave, he grew up in the cultivated atmosphere of their residence.
When the French Revolution reached Haiti, the Berards fled for safety to New York City. They took with them Pierre and a few other domestic slaves. Later, M. Berard returned to Haiti to see if he could salvage his property, but death overtook him there. Pierre had meanwhile been apprenticed to a hairdresser. Now his income as a coiffeur enabled him to support the frail, brooding widow Berard for the rest of her life. On her deathbed she freed him from the bonds of slavery. At least she appreciated what he had done for her.
The leading hairdresser in "Little Old New York," Toussaint became known and admired by his patronesses, most of whom belonged to the chief New York socialite families. He had a profound influence on these women who were most Protestant through his gentility and his Christian disposition and wisdom. A devout Catholic always, he contributed out of his prosperous income to every good charitable cause here and abroad. He also had many private charities. When he felt that impoverished white people might be uncomfortable about receiving support from a Negro, he sensitively supplied their needs anonymously.
The Pastor of old St. Patrick's Church delivered a remarkable eulogy at the funeral of this remarkable man. "There are few left among the clergy," he said, "superior in devotion and zeal for the church and for the glory of God among laymen, none." Pierre Toussaint certainly experienced what St. Paul would have termed a "different ministry." But like all ministries assigned by God, Pierre's was also "for the common good." (I Cor. 12:7 Today's second reading). The cause for canonization of Pierre Toussaint was opened a few years ago. It would be a cause for great rejoicing if the Church could some day hail this black slave as St. Pierre Toussaint.
(He was declared Venerable in 1996.) -Father Robert F. McNamara
Q406: What is the point of a story (John 2:1-12) that talks about reproducing alcohol in huge quantities, to a wedding reception party in Cana already well underway?
Several years ago, I remember a friend (Rev. Gayle Bach-Watson) answering a realistic question: "Why did Jesus make his first miracle the creation of wine?" She said the answer is obvious: that is what they needed! That might not sound deeply theological to you at first; but it is really a profound answer.
We have heard the story of the wedding at Cana in Galilee so many times, that perhaps we need to hear it with new ears. (That is what we need every Sunday, for that matter!) The Blessed Virgin Mary recognized the need of the poor family hosting the wedding party, and took compassion on them in their time of need. So she turned to Jesus, and asked him to help out in this situation, leaving the method up to him.
So, in John's first Gospel, we hear about the first miracle: wine, lots of wine, to fill a real need. It was not the vehicle used - the wine - that was important; instead, it was two things: (a) Jesus responded to his mother's intercession; and (b) Jesus joined in the compassion of Mary for the poor family in Cana who had an immediate need.
"Fast forward" to today. Are we willing to imitate Mary, and turn to Jesus when we see someone with a pressing need? Will we imitate Jesus, and do all within our power to help out those in real need? Discipleship is not about wine; it is about compassion and turning to Jesus for all of our needs. YOU are the wine that Jesus wants to use to help others in need!
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! At the "spiritual level" the Cana wedding feast is the "sign" of another feast - that of the wedding of the Lamb who shed his blood at the request of his bride, the Church (CCC #2618). Jesus' presence at the Cana wedding is also seen as the confirmation of the goodness of marriage between a man and a woman - thereafter a sign of Christ's presence (CCC #1613). Remember to intercede for the needs of others - and to help fulfill those needs whenever possible!
Q563: Water changed into wine: is there more going on here than just a miracle?
There is a clear connection between the First Reading (Isaiah 62:1-5) and the Gospel (John 2:1-11), and the link is the marriage imagery used in both cases. In today’s wedding scene, the abundance of new wine provided miraculously by Jesus is a sign that points to his divinity. Abundance is a traditional symbol for God’s salvation, which Jesus himself brings, as indicated in the miracle he performed. The underlying message is that Jesus is replacing a Jewish purification ritual, because from now on cleansing from sin would take place through him, the lamb of God.
Jesus was always giving us signs of transforming abundance. He fed 5,000 hungry folks by transforming five little barley loaves into an overflowing abundance of bread; he healed and restored to wholeness countless sick folks; and he even raised Lazarus from the dead. Can there be any doubt about whether or not he can provide for all of our needs?
As my sibling Jim (also a deacon) said once, a miracle much more wonderful than the Cana miracle is repeated daily on our altars. The bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, and given to us as the Food of our souls. Jesus has ‘kept the good wine until now.’ Another wonderful transformation, which Jesus accomplishes in our souls by means of grace, occurs when our ‘human nature’ becomes a sharer in God’s divine nature. Man becomes a member of Christ, the adopted child of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Today Mary our Mother tells us how we can and should foster this precious transformation. She says to us as she once did to the servants at the Cana feast, ‘do whatever he tells you.’ We do what he tells us when we practice all that He teaches and commands.
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! The Church sees in the Cana miracle the confirmation of the goodness of marriage between a man and a woman, and sees marriage between a man and a woman as an effective sign of Christ’s presence (CCC #1613).
