Reflection for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) – January 20, 2019
Reflection
We have just returned from break, hopefully rested and refreshed, after a liturgical season filled with joy, celebration, and triumphant hymns proclaiming Christ’s birth. Sometimes such effusive celebrations seem to help us more fully surrender whatever burdens we carry with us. We can simply get lost in joy. In these times, letting the glory of Jesus’ Incarnation into our lives does not seem so hard. Yet other times, even in the midst of such joyful celebrations, we are utterly aware of what we are lacking, what we desire, or what we are struggling to bear. It can be hard to celebrate when needs or heartaches are so present to us. However, in this Sunday’s Gospel passage, God reveals his love by reminding us of his closeness to us and his anticipation of our needs. After just a word from his mother, Jesus’ glory is revealed by turning water into wine and enabling the wedding celebration to continue. This is a great act of love conveying to us that our joy is Jesus’ joy. Our burdens are his, too.
Another New Year brings us a year full of opportunities to let Jesus fill our needs, both great and small. Although our prayers for these needs are not always answered in the ways we wish they would be, this Gospel begs us to continue turning to God anyway. With 15 weeks of a new semester before us, we have the chance to do so by entrusting ourselves to Mary, Our Lady, who need only say the word for her son to respond in loving action. Are there any needs or longings you can present to Mary, so that in the ways Jesus sees fit, he may transform that water into wine in your own life, too? Let us pray together for the trust to believe that with Mary, Christ knows our needs and is always responding out of love for us, despite what it may look or feel like, for the sake of our eternal joy and celebration.
Gospel John 2:1-11
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."And Jesus said to her, "Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever he tells you." Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from – although the servers who had drawn the water knew – the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, "Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now." 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.
Hymn Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above
Hail, Holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria. Hail Queen of Mercy and of love, O Maria. Triumph, all ye Cherubim, sing with us, ye Seraphim, Heav’n and earth resound the hymn: Salve, Salve, Salve, Regina.
The cause of joy to all below, O Maria. The spring through which all graces flow, O Maria. Angels, all your praises bring, Earth and heaven, with us sing, all creation echoing: Salve, Salve, Salve, Regina.
O gentle, loving, holy one, O Maria. The God of light became your Son, O Maria. Triumph, all ye Cherubim, sing with us, ye Seraphim, Heav’n and earth resound the hymn: Salve, Salve, Salve, Regina.