January is not a common month for weddings in this country. Do you think the weather has anything to do with it? Nevertheless, a wedding at Cana in Galilee is at the center of today’s gospel. It is at this wedding feast that Jesus performs his first miracle, changing water into wine. The scope to Epiphany expanded to include the Magi, all of Jesus’ childhood events, up to and including the Baptism by John the Baptist; and even the first miracle of Jesus, changing water into wine. Though we are not here this weekend to celebrate a wedding, today’s celebration includes both feast and miracle, one we often take for granted. The miracle of course, is the bread and wine becoming Christ’s Body and Blood and giving thanks for the invitation we have been given to this Eucharistic feast.
Jesus had just begun his ministry. His hour of his passion, death, and resurrection was long in the future. A neighbor’s wedding did not seem to be a time to begin manifesting his glory. But despite the timing, he acted. Three years later, Jesus’ bridegroom would consummate his marriage to his bride, the church, at “his hour” on the cross when he gave his life for humanity.
At the Last Supper, in the presence of his disciples for the last time before his death, Jesus changed the wine into his blood. Each weekend at every Mass, once again the wine is transformed into his blood. John the Evangelist says, “What happened in Cana was the beginning of Jesus’ signs. Today, and every time we gather for the Eucharist, there is no end to these signs.” In partaking in the Eucharist, we are transformed by Christ’s Body and Blood. No matter how we feel about ourselves, we are not forsaken or desolate. We are God’s children, each a cause for God’s rejoicing, continually transformed and renewed in holiness as Christians.
Love, Peace, Joy,
Fr. Bob
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