Jesus is revealed
In the last lines of today’s Gospel “Jesus did this as the beginning of His signs, at Cana in Galilee, and so revealed His glory, and His disciples began to believe in Him.” In this season of “epiphanies”, this is the third time that Jesus’ glory is revealed. The first was by the wise men in Bethlehem. The second was at His Baptism in the Jordan, by John, and now the third is at Cana. This is why this event is included with the first two as being part of the epiphany or manifestation of the Lord.
However, there is one big difference. In the first two epiphanies, the Lord’s glory is revealed by others. In Bethlehem, His glory is revealed by the Magi. At the Jordan River, His glory is revealed by the Voice of the Father and the presence of the Holy Spirit as a dove. Here, though at Cana, Jesus reveals His glory Himself. It is the beginning of a life of revelation, the revelation that the “Word has been made flesh and now dwells among us.” words from the Prologue of John. The last sentence of John’s Gospel is: “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of (His) disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in His name.”
Jesus reveals Himself to us continually, sometimes in monumental events, other times in the quiet events of our lives. In today’s epiphany He reveals himself in the typical ordinary events of a loving, Christian marriage.
The Church also uses the account of this miracle to remind us that, by virtue of her position as the Mother of God and our heavenly mother, Mary’s intercession for us with God has great power.
Note: Fr Kevin Rai’s statue of the Blessed Mother holding Jesus. When the Magi come to Bethlehem, Mary shows Jesus to them. At the Wedding at Cana, Mary tells Jesus to show himself.
Throughout the Bible, marriage is the symbol of the Covenant relationship between God and His chosen people. God is the Groom and humanity is His beloved bride. We see this beautifully reflected in today’s First Reading, where Isaiah uses the metaphor of spousal love to describe God’s love for Israel. The prophet reminds his people that their God rejoices in them as a Bridegroom rejoices in His Bride. And that He will rebuild Israel, if they will be reconciled to Him and repair their strained relationship with Him.
Johnny Carson (who hosted the Tonight Show for 30 years) was interviewing an eight-year-old boy one night. The young man was asked to appear on the Late Show because he had rescued two friends from a coal mine outside his hometown in West Virginia. As Johnny questioned him, it became apparent that the boy was a Christian. Johnny asked him if he attended Sunday school. When the boy said he did, Johnny inquired, “What are you learning in Sunday school?” “Last week,” the boy replied, “our lesson was about how Jesus went to a wedding and turned water into wine.” The audience burst in to laughter and applause. Keeping a straight face, Johnny asked, “And what did you learn from that story?” The boy squirmed in his chair. It was apparent he hadn’t thought about this. But then he lifted up his face and said, “If you’re going to have a wedding, make sure you invite Jesus and Mary!” And that is precisely the message of today’s gospel: make sure you invite Jesus and Mary to the wedding and then to wherever you live and wherever you go!
While at St. Martin’s in Dripping Springs I did several weddings. And in preparing the couple for their marriage I would have one of the latter sessions in a room in the church. At that point I asked them if all of the invitations had been sent, and of course that answered yes… At that point I wanted to speak to each of them separately, and I told the other to go into the church, kneel in front of the “Blessed Sacrament” and invite Jesus to the wedding. Then at the end of the Wedding Ceremony, I would send them with the instruction that the Three of them go and have a good life together. Marriage is our continuing covenant with God to reveal his presence through a loving relationship.
Invite Jesus and Mary to remain with us in our homes. St. John Vianney suggests this as a solution for many of our family problems. He used to encourage parents to create an atmosphere of prayer, Bible reading, mutual love and respect and sacrificial service at home so that the presence of Jesus and Mary might be perpetually enhanced and experienced in the family.
We have many wonderful examples of covenantal relationships of marriage in our parish community. At Mass just a few weeks ago our Bishop recognized those celebrating a five increment anniversaries of their marriages, and all anniversaries in excess of Fifty years. It’s really awesome to see the number of long term covenantal marriages in our parish. And to witness the way each of them relate lovingly to the other.
And you who are single! You too have made a covenant with God. At our baptism we are all, as part of His Church, espoused to Jesus. St. Paul says in his First Letter to the Corinthians that you who are single have even more time to glorify the Lord in all that you do!
If there is anything occurring or has occurred that is keeping you from fulfilling the covenantal relationship of your marriage, you should consider discussing those issues with either a priest or a deacon. Father or I, either one, would be happy to assist you. There are many ways that the Church has provided to resolve these issues.
As we leave here today and return to our homes, let us renew our commitment to recognize and live the glory of our Lord in our relationships to our spouses and families, to our broader family, the Church and to recognize the glory of our Lord revealed to us in the epiphanies.