2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – C
January 19, 2025 5pm, 8:30 and 11am
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton
John’s Gospel
Today I want to do a kind of “Bible-study” approach to my homily.
There are some wonderful details in this story about the wedding in Cana. They are enriching in what they tell us about Jesus and about our relationship with him.
The Wedding: The Problem
To begin with, Mary says to Jesus, “`They have no wine.’” Jesus’ mother could simply be concerned about the embarrassment of the newly married couple in running out of wine at their wedding reception.
But there is probably another, deeper level of meaning. Throughout the Scriptures, wine was seen as part of the heavenly banquet – a sign of God’s presence with us.
So, Mary’s statement that “`They have no wine’” may also mean that they have no relationship with God. Their relationship with God may have run out and run dry.
Then, Jesus seems to respond to his mother rather disrespectfully: “`Woman, how does your concern affect me?’” In other words: “So, what do you want me to do about it?”
And, on top of that, Jesus addresses his mother as “’Woman’” – not the usual way in that culture to speak to your mother. But, as you might guess, there is some significance here.
Jesus uses this same word “woman” when he is dying on the cross and entrusts his mother to the disciple John and John to his mother. So, in using this word “woman,” Jesus is transforming the relationship between his mother and himself.
He is adding an additional level of relationship. He is seeing his mother also as a disciple who will join him in doing God’s work on this earth.
Then, Jesus goes on to say, “‘My hour has not yet come.’” Maybe Jesus just wants to enjoy himself and not be bothered with anyone’s problems.
But Jesus’ words “`My hour’” are very significant and they refer to the time of his suffering and death. Apparently, Jesus knows, here at Cana, that as soon as he starts his divine mission, opposition and hardship will also start.
The Wedding: The Solution
So, Jesus seems to dodge his mother’s request, but Mary is undeterred and says to the waiters: “`Do whatever he tells you.’” In one way, I can imagine Mary as a mother rolling her eyes, shaking her head, and taking a deep breath.
But maybe the bigger point is that Mary already shows herself as a disciple. She already trusts in Jesus’ power.
And in her trust, she – a good disciple – calls us to be disciples: “‘Do whatever he tells you.’” And if we do that, we too will experience the presence of God in our lives.
Then John’s gospel carefully notes that there are 6 water jars. To his audience, this means 1 less than the perfect number, which is 7, a sign of fulfillment or perfection.
The significance here is that Jesus himself will become the 7th jar, the fulfillment or perfection of humanity’s relationship with God. And he will become this when he gives us not a water jar with wine, but a chalice with wine as his blood.
And then, there is the great statement of the headwaiter. “`Everyone serves good wine first, but you have kept the good wine until now.’”
On one level, the headwaiter voices the commonsense practice of not holding the good wine until people are a bit high, because then they won’t appreciate it. On another level, these words are about Jesus and are saying that in Jesus himself, the best has been saved until this moment.
Two Takeaways
Okay! From all of that, I want to leave you with two takeaways, one about Jesus and one about our relationship with him
Let’s first remember that Jesus himself is the 7th water jar. He is the fulfillment and perfection of God’s presence with us.
And one specific way that he is this for us is when he gives us the bread and wine turned into his body and blood. So, let’s be sure to appreciate his presence here whenever we receive the Eucharist.
And second, let’s remember that we are to follow Mary’s example and guidance. We also are to be Jesus’ disciples.
As Mary says, we are to “Do whatever he tells you.” And in doing this, we can help to make his presence alive in our world today.
