Homily for the Week of January 20, 2013

2nd Sunday C 2013 Isaiah 62:1-5 Psalm 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 John 2:1-11 The Gospel reading that we have just heard is perhaps the most familiar one for most people after the story of Christmas. It also talks about the first time that Jesus got out in public and helped out someone by performing a miracle. It also means a lot because Marriage is the common vocation or desire that God gives most people in sharing their life with one another. It is a reading which is often chosen to be used at a wedding Mass. The typical Jewish wedding in Jesus’ day was very different than our weddings of today. Hosts would rarely know how much of a crowd to expect Very often the weddings were arranged by the parents. There was no dating, or courtship as is now in our American weddings. The wedding would start when the groom arrived at the bride’s home with his companions, usually at night. The groom would then walk with his bride to his home, along with the bride’s father. They were joined by the groom’s friends and others who carried lanterns to provide light during the walk. On the way there would be singing, and the throwing of grain on the ground. When they arrived at the groom’s home, the feast started. It could last as long as seven days. The feast included speeches, dancing, prayers, music, and of course food and wine. And on the final day the bride and groom signed a wedding contract. They were then married. The groom's family would be responsible for housing and feeding their guests for the entire week. So running out of wine would not be unusual. Jesus and his parents had been invited to this wedding at Cana. The marriage was not what most of the guests talked about. It was the fact that they ran out of alcohol. But they were lucky that Jesus was one of the invited guests, and so was Mary his mother. Mary noticed the wine had run out. This would have brought embarrassment and shame to the groom who was responsible for the wedding party. She lets her son Jesus know about it. Somehow she must have believed that he could do something about it. And he does. He asks that 6 25 gallon water jugs be filled with water. These jugs would have been used for symbolic cleansing of hands of the guests according to Jewish customs. He turns the water into 150 gallons of wine. And the Bible tells us that it was the best wine. At most weddings cheap wine was served. Cheap wine had the looks of syrup. So water was added to the wine to get it to the right consistency. 'Good wine,' however, needed no preparation. It was perfect just as it was -- and it was incredibly expensive. The story of Cana has a much greater meaning for us than Jesus turning water into wine. It has an important human meaning, but also a spiritual one. One of the wonderful truths in this passage is not that Jesus did a miracle. It is that Jesus cared enough about the newly married couple to rescue them from social embarrassment. He cared enough about the guests that He made the best wine. He cared enough about Mary’s distress that He rescued her. Have you ever wondered if God cares about the little things in your life? Have you ever been lonely and wondered if God cared about how you feel? Have you ever wondered if God just simply cared? The answer is found in the simple, little miracle of making water into wine. God cares about even the little things. Just like Mary, we can come to Jesus and ask for help. He may make us wait. He might comfort us another way, but He will not disappoint us. If He cares about even the little things in my life, how much more the major events and crises. He cares about lonely feelings, and cuts on little fingers. He cares about the little things in your life. Our human heart and our life are often torn between a sense of emptiness and a need of being filled, like the water in the jugs of Cana. The wine can stand for all of God's gifts to us. His joy, his love, his understanding, his forgiveness, his wisdom. The empty water jugs can represent any of us who may be empty, or who can't find meaning in life. Like the newlyweds we often face the lack of something: a good job, good looks, good health. For one reason or another we begin to pray or come to Church or talk to someone about God and he fills us. He gives us new life; he gives us a new start. This event at the wedding of Cana can also give us a way of praying. Mary's emphatic statement to Jesus THEY HAVE NO WINE was a prayer. That prayer was answered in a way that was likely beyond her expectations. Mary simply brought her concern to Jesus without specifying how or when he should respond. When we say a prayer we often mention how we would like our prayer answered, but sometimes we should imitate Mary's style of praying. Instead of telling Jesus or God how and when we would like our request answered, let us just express to God what is on our mind and trust that Jesus has a better answer than we. If a little child has an earache, the child does not specify the cue, but merely cries out "Mama." The Mother knows what's the best thing to do for her child. If we, likewise, have some deep trust in God or Jesus, we can express our hurts, our fears or any other concerns and feel assured that our Loving God will know what is best for us. And finally, the wedding of Cana tells us that marriage is a very special way of life. As I mentioned last week, the Catholic church calls it a vocation. Many of you here are married. Make each married day better than the day before. Remove any fears or doubts you may have of each other. Show your love. Also, many of you are thinking of marriage, or may have already made plans to be married soon. Start now to invite Jesus into your life. Begin to realize how special you are to each other. We do have to listen, however, to Mary's words: DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU. God tells us each day in family events as well as in our own life what he wants us to do. Let her words ring in our day after day.