Saturday, January 19, 2019

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Some of the most joyous events in the life of a parish are weddings.  We all rejoice when couples come together to declare their love and fidelity to each other in the sacrament of marriage.  They promise to be true to each other in good times and in bad times, in sickness and in health and they promise to love and honor each other all the days of their lives.  God makes similar promises to us repeatedly throughout scripture.  God says, “With age-old love I have loved you” (Jeremiah 31:3).  God made a covenant of love with us that was fully revealed when “God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him” (1 John 4:9). The bonds of this love are so powerful that St. Paul tells us, “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

The unfailing and eternal love that God has for us is described all through scripture in terms of marriage. And the kingdom of God often is described as a wedding feast.  So, it is not surprising that Jesus’ first public miracle or sign, transforming water into wine, takes place at a wedding feast.  This miracle demonstrates in a very graphic way the infinite generosity of God and the abundance of God’s kingdom.  Jesus’ miracle is an extraordinarily generous gift.  He did not change a few bottles of water into wine.  He changed over 100 gallons of water into wine – enough to meet all the needs of the wedding party.  And this is our challenge.

St. Paul tells us in today’s second reading from 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, that God gives each of us spiritual gifts that we are supposed to use to build the kingdom.  Just as Jesus was generous in sharing his gifts, so we are called to be generous in sharing our gifts in the service of God. 

Faithful and loving God,
your Son Jesus shared with ordinary people
in the joy of a marriage feast.
Set for us the table and pour for us
the delightful wine of your covenant,
bring us close to you and to one another
and warm our hearts with your own love.
Make us your faithful stewards,
ready to do whatever Jesus tells us.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen