Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

January 20, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 62: 1-5

Psalm: 96

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11

Gospel reading according to John 2: 1-11

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Homily: The Wedding at Cana

Maybe we can ask what Mary was doing in the wedding celebration in Cana, Galilee.  How was she related to the bride and/or the groom?  Was she related to one of the families of the married couple?   We have no immediate answers these questions in mind, but one thing is sure that Mary was the source of this story of the wedding at Cana of John, the Evangelist. “There was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there” (Jn. 2: 1).  All we know, Mary was invited in that celebration of marriage vows and new life of two families joined together by the bond of matrimony.    

We do not know either why Jesus was not with his mother but instead he was with his disciples when he attended the wedding.  We can guest that Jesus was already separated to his mother and he lived with his disciples, mostly fishermen fom Capernaum, Galilee, with Peter and Andrew, James and John.   “Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding” (Jn. 2: 2).  Jesus was invited also to the wedding.  He brought with him his disciples.

Mary who was familiar in the kitchen, and maybe she helped in the preparation and cooking of food as she did to Elisabeth when she was six months pregnant to John, the Baptizer. “When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine’.” (Jn. 2: 3).  Where there is a need, Mary is there to give help and support.  As a mother she feels the needs of her son.  Mary and Jesus saw each other in the dining hall, and Mary took the advantage of the presence of her son.  She told him the problem to occur, “They have no wine,” and she was worrying about the newly wedded couple, as if she is the mother of the groom.  The celebration might stop due to lack of wine that brings happiness and joy in life and good health in mind and body, but instead all the guests will go home with grumble and complain in their hearts, while the bride and the groom might be put to shame.

The concern of the mother leads to find an answer.  Mary was invited guest but she acted like the hostess or one of the groom’s/bride’s parents.  “And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, how does your concern affect me?  My hour has not yet come’.” (Jn. 2: 4).  Jesus was not affected of what’s going on, even the concern of his mother, Mary.  Jesus knew it was not yet his time to reveal himself of what he is, and/or who he is, and what he can do.  But with the insistence of his mother, he has not escaped the whims and concerns of his mother.  What Mary is a mother for if her son will not obey her?   He gave in, even though it is not yet his time.

The servers were called and were given instruction by Mary. “His mother said to the servers, ‘Do whatever he tells you” (Jn. 2: 5) Do whatever he tells you is a command with lots of hope and confidence inspite of uncertainty of want they must do and what the command is.  Mary has high hopes to her Son Jesus.  He will not disappoint his mother.  The servers will just wait to whatever he commends them.

Before the guests enter the house of the hosts they clean themselves by washing their feet, hands, sometimes eyes, ears and mouth.  We call this ceremonial cleansing as ablution, so that whatever that is not clean that clings to their body/themselves will be removed.  There were six empty stone jars of water were consumed in the ceremonial cleansing.  “Now there were six stone jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, ‘Fill the jars with water’.  So they filled them to the brim” (Jn. 2: 6-7).  Jesus told the servers to fill again the six stone ceremonial jars with water.  Each jar contains or holds twenty to thirty gallons of water.  The servers filled the stone jars to its brim.

Jesus changed the plain water into best wine.  “Then he told them, ‘Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.’ So they took it” (Jn. 2: 8).  The servers brought the wine to the headwaiter and tasted it, and he was delighted and amazed for until now the hosts have kept the best and delicious wine.  

The headwaiter after tasting the wine, suspected the hosts that they keep the best wine until now.  He did not know who was the benefactor or donor of the said wine, or where it came from, although the servers knew the source of this best wine.  “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’.” (Jn. 2: 8-10). He called the bridegroom to inform about the wine.  He told the trick of those couples who were married before them to stay the guests long time and enjoy the celebration, “one to sawa,” by offering the good wine first and when the guests were drunk the less and cheaper wine will be offered yet the guests did not noticed it for they were already drunk.  But this newlywed couple was different, they served first the good wine and the last wine to be served will be the best and most expensive wine, the wine never tasted before.

This was the first miracle Jesus performed.  He turned water into wine, not just wine but the best wine never tasted before.  This first miracle had an influence of a mother, whose name was Mary.  “Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him” (Jn. 2: 11). It happened at the wedding in Cana, Galilee where his glory revealed, his first miracle, and his disciples began to believe in him.