17 January 2016
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
This Sunday we hear anew the miracle at the wedding feast of Cana. (Jn 2:1-11) We can meditate on the water made wine as if we were the couple, or the head waiter, or one of the disciples watching on. But what if we were to consider this miracle from the point of view of the servants at the wedding?
First, one of the guests comes up to you and tells you to do whatever her son tells you to do. That is a tall order, but it is a festive occasion and you feel like being generous. Then, her son tells you to take a stone jar and fill it with 20 to 30 gallons of water. That doesn’t sound good for the old back muscles. Next, he expects you to fill up five more of those gigantic jars. That’s asking quite a bit from a servant towards the end of a party, but the lady did say to do whatever he said. Fine, you’ve done it. The water is in the jars. They are even filled to the brim. Now you might think it is time to back to your previous job. Nope. Now he wants you to fill a cup with that water, and take it to your boss, the head waiter, who is stressed about the fact that there is no more wine. This does not sound like it will earn you servant-of-the-month, but the lady did say do whatever he tells you. Then the miracle is found out, and you the servant get to know the Lord and Lady who were behind it all.
Today in the opening prayer, the Church asks the Lord to hear our prayers and to grant us peace in our days. Let us in our personal prayer ask for the grace of to do whatever God asks of us, even if it seems to us to be as difficult, pointless, and mundane as putting water in jars. He will transform those works by His grace. Let us listen to what He asks us in prayer, let us do what He asks in our relationships. The peace we ask for will surely follow, and then not only shall we rejoice more than they who have great wine, but God Himself will rejoice in us. (Is 62:5)