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tifischer
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Wedding of Cana in Galilee John 2:1-12
Spiritual Gift, Faith “manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him”
Johns sets the stage “On the third day there was a wedding”. Beautifully and joyous we begin at a wedding feast. Interestingly, weddings at this time lasted for seven days that reflects the seven days of creation. This celebration is so important in the Jewish tradition. The marriage is the new covenant of flesh bound by God as the creation of family. The families come together for seven days to celebrate, bless and be self-giving in creating enjoyment for this couple. I love the notion that a family would sacrifice so much for their loved ones in Holy Matrimony, it makes me reflect on our celebration of marriage in Holy matrimony and how it parallels the marriage of Jesus to His Church.
The wedding at Cana did not take place long after Jesus’ baptism at the River Jordan, I imagine that Cana would have been warm and very fertile at this time of joining family. In joining family, we are introduced to the wedding celebrants as Jesus’ Mother, Jesus and the disciples as we read about again later at the Crucifixion of Jesus. Here begins the parallel of the great mystery of light, the wedding of the bridegroom to his bride, now referring not only to the wedding of Cana but also the wedding of God to His Church. “Weddings are a symbol of union of God and His people. As a bridegroom rejoices in His bride so shall the Lord delight in you (Isaiah). Divine human nature comes together to form a marriage between God and Israel. “[1]
During the wedding, they run out of wine, “They have no wine”. The wine was needed to bestow blessings on the bride and groom. To not have wine would humiliate the bride and groom at their wedding. Wine running out is a metaphor of Israel lost in its sin [1]. The Blessed Mother is drawn by the power of the Holy Spirit to Jesus in the time of Israel’s need. The Blessed Mother’s actions are revealing that we may not run dry spiritually with Jesus’ help. Mary here is like the prophets speaking with their insistence as Israel to its creator [1].
What does Jesus mean when he says “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.”? What is the significance of woman and my hour? Woman references again back to creation, when God made man and woman and we hear this again when she intercedes for us at the Crucifixion where Jesus address Mary as “Woman”, the new Eve, the true “Mother of all the living.” [2]. At the wedding at Cana Jesus tells His mother that His hour has not yet come because He is the new wine to be poured out to redeem all creation. The last supper in Luke 22:14 Jesus finally reveals His hour to us “When the hour had come…” then the body and blood of Christ is reveled through the blessing of the wine and bread changed to His body and blood. Then at the crucifixion, Jesus’ marriage to His Church is consummated [3].
Jesus’ mother says to the servers “Do whatever he tells you.” How does the Blessed Mother guide us, his servants to Jesus today? The Blessed Mother intercedes by the Holy Spirit at this wedding. These are the last words heard from Mary in the Gospel. She is Israel in prophetic mode (with confidence) like the prophets “Do what ever He tells you.” Calling Israel back to the obedience to God. [1]
There were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings. These vessels were used for purification. God similarly chose our body as His vessel that will be purified and spiritually transformed through the Spirit of Jesus and filled in Him, body and blood. The wine in the story “represents the transformation of the ancient Jewish ritual into the sacraments of the Church” where we can see the connection between the wine and the transubstantiated wine in the Eucharist [1].
Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” A wedding is not in partialities but full and complete [1]. So they filled them to the brim. They serve completely, not holding back. Do we hold back in our efforts to do God’s will and to give? When we forgive is it fallowed by a “but”? When we go to receive Jesus in the Eucharist are we giving him our whole love in our hearts, soul, strength and mind? Let us pray to Him that we may be filled entirely in Jesus when excepting His blood in us, that we may be entirely one in Him, as a Wife completely gives herself to her husband (and so him to her). “He [God] out of gracious love is going to espouse you.” [4].
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.” In Jesus’ first public miracle, Jesus is the good wine revealed in all His glory. We see a sign of the miracle to come when Jesus is the Bridegroom in the final hour serving the good wine. The hour of His coming that all people may drink Jesus’ precious blood that washes us from our sins, revealing his glory from the beginning. Jesus’ blood is superior to all other offerings.
He [Jesus] manifested Himself to His disciples and “opens the hearts of the disciples to faith” [5]. Let us also ask for open hearts and the spiritual gift of faith. As Daughters of Mary, God through His Holy Spirit calls us to point others to Jesus and to allow Jesus to intercede through us to do God’s will. We are not alone, the Blessed Mother Mary is with us praying and interceding.
REFERENCES:
[1] The wedding banquet that overflows with wine. 2013 Homily By Father Robert Barron.
[2] CCC 2618
[3] Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told. Author Dr. Brant Pitre
[4] THE GREAT WEDDING. 2008 Homily By Father Robert Barron.
[5] APOSTOLIC LETTER ROSARIUM VIRGINIS MARIAE OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF JOHN PAUL II TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGYAND FAITHFUL ON THE MOST HOLY ROSARY
Spiritual Gift, Faith “manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him”
Johns sets the stage “On the third day there was a wedding”. Beautifully and joyous we begin at a wedding feast. Interestingly, weddings at this time lasted for seven days that reflects the seven days of creation. This celebration is so important in the Jewish tradition. The marriage is the new covenant of flesh bound by God as the creation of family. The families come together for seven days to celebrate, bless and be self-giving in creating enjoyment for this couple. I love the notion that a family would sacrifice so much for their loved ones in Holy Matrimony, it makes me reflect on our celebration of marriage in Holy matrimony and how it parallels the marriage of Jesus to His Church.
The wedding at Cana did not take place long after Jesus’ baptism at the River Jordan, I imagine that Cana would have been warm and very fertile at this time of joining family. In joining family, we are introduced to the wedding celebrants as Jesus’ Mother, Jesus and the disciples as we read about again later at the Crucifixion of Jesus. Here begins the parallel of the great mystery of light, the wedding of the bridegroom to his bride, now referring not only to the wedding of Cana but also the wedding of God to His Church. “Weddings are a symbol of union of God and His people. As a bridegroom rejoices in His bride so shall the Lord delight in you (Isaiah). Divine human nature comes together to form a marriage between God and Israel. “[1]
During the wedding, they run out of wine, “They have no wine”. The wine was needed to bestow blessings on the bride and groom. To not have wine would humiliate the bride and groom at their wedding. Wine running out is a metaphor of Israel lost in its sin [1]. The Blessed Mother is drawn by the power of the Holy Spirit to Jesus in the time of Israel’s need. The Blessed Mother’s actions are revealing that we may not run dry spiritually with Jesus’ help. Mary here is like the prophets speaking with their insistence as Israel to its creator [1].
What does Jesus mean when he says “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.”? What is the significance of woman and my hour? Woman references again back to creation, when God made man and woman and we hear this again when she intercedes for us at the Crucifixion where Jesus address Mary as “Woman”, the new Eve, the true “Mother of all the living.” [2]. At the wedding at Cana Jesus tells His mother that His hour has not yet come because He is the new wine to be poured out to redeem all creation. The last supper in Luke 22:14 Jesus finally reveals His hour to us “When the hour had come…” then the body and blood of Christ is reveled through the blessing of the wine and bread changed to His body and blood. Then at the crucifixion, Jesus’ marriage to His Church is consummated [3].
Jesus’ mother says to the servers “Do whatever he tells you.” How does the Blessed Mother guide us, his servants to Jesus today? The Blessed Mother intercedes by the Holy Spirit at this wedding. These are the last words heard from Mary in the Gospel. She is Israel in prophetic mode (with confidence) like the prophets “Do what ever He tells you.” Calling Israel back to the obedience to God. [1]
There were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings. These vessels were used for purification. God similarly chose our body as His vessel that will be purified and spiritually transformed through the Spirit of Jesus and filled in Him, body and blood. The wine in the story “represents the transformation of the ancient Jewish ritual into the sacraments of the Church” where we can see the connection between the wine and the transubstantiated wine in the Eucharist [1].
Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” A wedding is not in partialities but full and complete [1]. So they filled them to the brim. They serve completely, not holding back. Do we hold back in our efforts to do God’s will and to give? When we forgive is it fallowed by a “but”? When we go to receive Jesus in the Eucharist are we giving him our whole love in our hearts, soul, strength and mind? Let us pray to Him that we may be filled entirely in Jesus when excepting His blood in us, that we may be entirely one in Him, as a Wife completely gives herself to her husband (and so him to her). “He [God] out of gracious love is going to espouse you.” [4].
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.” In Jesus’ first public miracle, Jesus is the good wine revealed in all His glory. We see a sign of the miracle to come when Jesus is the Bridegroom in the final hour serving the good wine. The hour of His coming that all people may drink Jesus’ precious blood that washes us from our sins, revealing his glory from the beginning. Jesus’ blood is superior to all other offerings.
He [Jesus] manifested Himself to His disciples and “opens the hearts of the disciples to faith” [5]. Let us also ask for open hearts and the spiritual gift of faith. As Daughters of Mary, God through His Holy Spirit calls us to point others to Jesus and to allow Jesus to intercede through us to do God’s will. We are not alone, the Blessed Mother Mary is with us praying and interceding.
REFERENCES:
[1] The wedding banquet that overflows with wine. 2013 Homily By Father Robert Barron.
[2] CCC 2618
[3] Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told. Author Dr. Brant Pitre
[4] THE GREAT WEDDING. 2008 Homily By Father Robert Barron.
[5] APOSTOLIC LETTER ROSARIUM VIRGINIS MARIAE OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF JOHN PAUL II TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGYAND FAITHFUL ON THE MOST HOLY ROSARY