Colorful-Scripture-1-17-13

Photo illustration by Phil Younk
Click on the photo for a printable PDF!

First miracle reveals Jesus’ divinity

Based on the Readings: Is 62:1-5; 1 Cor 12:4-11; Gospel of Jn 2:1-11
Signs of love and mercy. This Sunday’s readings concentrate on the Lord’s love and mercy for his people. The reading from Isaiah speaks of the end of Israel’s exile in Babylon and the Lord’s restoration of his bond with the nation. First Corinthians focuses on the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit freely grants to each of us for benefit to others.

In the Gospel, Jesus, his mother Mary and some of his disciples attend a wedding in Cana, a little village down the road from Nazareth. Guests are having a good time enjoying the music, dancing and drinking of wine.

Mary notices the bride and groom have run out of wine to serve the guests. How embarrassed they must be. Mary tells Jesus, “They have no wine.” Jesus says it isn’t time to begin performing miracles. But Mary knows Jesus will help the couple. Mary says to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Every Jewish household stores six jars for ceremonial washings. Each jar holds 20 to 30 gallons. Jesus tells the servants to fill the jars with water, and they fill them to the brim. He then tells them to “draw some out” and give it to the headwaiter. The water is now choice wine – Jesus’ first miracle. The wedding celebration continues.

Only Mary, Jesus’ disciples and the servants saw that ordinary water was changed into wine. This first miracle, this first sign, revealed Jesus’ glory, his divinity and his call for faith from those who witnessed it. Right there, Jesus’ active, public ministry began. The miracle helped to deepen the disciples’ belief in Jesus. Today, Jesus helps us. Every time the bread and wine are consecrated and become the Body and Blood of Jesus at each eucharistic feast – the Mass – Jesus is there helping our faith in him to grow ever stronger.

This Gospel teaches us that Mary is not only Jesus’ mother but our mother too.

Jesus changed water into wine at his mother’s request to show us how much he loves her and how powerful her prayers are. Mary will always ask Jesus to help us when we pray to her.

Like Mary, we, too, can trust Jesus. We, too, need to “Do whatever he tells you” – through our parents, priests, religion teachers and other people in authority, through his church, and through the Scriptures. We must learn how to listen to God’s voice so we can put his words into practice. “To Jesus through Mary!”