The first reading of this Sunday assures us of God’s determination to continually love us and reminds us that He will not abandon us. The words of the passage tell us how God’s love transforms us, changes us from ‘Forsaken’ to ‘My Delight’ and our land from ‘Abandoned’ to ‘The Wedded’. Marriage is used here as a metaphor to describe the intended deep relationship that our Father wants with us and our place in the Kingdom of God. God’s love renews us, and it is in His love that we are made perfect.
St Paul reminds us in the second reading that God has showered each of us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and all gifts are given to us for a purpose. Even though there are a multitude of gifts, they are all from the same Holy Spirit – and all these gifts, different as they are, are given to us to fulfil His mission. He further explains that we are all parts of the same body, carefully and intentionally pieced together as God’s handiwork. Each gift and each part is important. Just as different parts of the body have different functions, each gift serves as a different way to minister to others. These gifts are given generously by God and we must use them in the same way it has been given to us to serve His Church.
The Gospel centres on the first miracle performed by Jesus at the wedding at Cana, the initial sign of Jesus’ divinity and anticipation of His passion. Mirroring the theme of marriage in the first reading, the wedding feast as the backdrop of Jesus’ first miracle foretells how Jesus would bring salvation to all humankind through his sacrifice. These miracles, also termed as signs in John’s gospel, are crucial in revealing Jesus’ identity and power. Jesus’ words to Mary, ‘My hour has not come yet.’, foreshadows his feelings before the Passover where He knew that the hour had come for Him to return to His Father. However, though it was not time, Jesus used His power to turn water into wine at the wedding feast. Through this, He teaches us how we should use our gifts for God’s people and for the church, reiterating what St Paul reminds us about in the second reading. Mary, in the gospel, tells Jesus that there is no more wine at the wedding and asks that the servants do whatever Jesus tells them to. In this, we see her using her gift of intercession. Today, we continue to pray to Mother Mary to intercede for us.
We are called to follow Jesus’ and Mary’s perfect example of using the gifts for the good of the people. The abundance and quality of the wine produced by Jesus gives us a taste of the riches in the Kingdom of God promised to us. When we respond to God’s call generously, God will transform our human effort into fruits for His Kingdom abundantly.
Written By
Ephrem Music Ministry