My wife and I have been married for almost 33 years and we will never forget our wedding day. Not just because it was our wedding day; we will remember the hottest June 4th on record in New Orleans. The official high temperature hit 99 on this early June afternoon which turned out to be the same day the central air conditioning at St. Julian Eymard Church decided to quit working. By 2:30 in the afternoon the inside temperature was near 85 degrees. Despite one incident or two where my new bride looked like she was going down for the count; we made it and happily took off for the reception. Here, the air conditioning was working but everyone was extremely thirsty. You guessed it, we ran out of some of the liquid refreshment. Thanks to a little intervention by my new in-laws, all was restored and everything went off without a hitch.
We all have been involved in one way or the other with wedding preparations. My wife and I again find ourselves in this position as our oldest child, our son James, is getting married in May. As a Deacon I find myself often before soon to be married couples and I hate to say it; it often seems that more preparation goes into the wedding day, the reception and the honeymoon than the marriage.
As people of faith, are we prepared for the Wedding Supper of the Lamb and do we intend to stay wedded to whatever He tells us?
Today we read from John’s Gospel of the Wedding Feast at Cana. This is the third consecutive Gospel of the manifestation or the revelation of Jesus as the Christ, as the Savior of the world. It could be said that this concludes the “epiphany” season of the Church. Beginning with the manifestation of the Christ-child to the whole world, through the three kings, to the encounter between Jesus and John the Baptist in the river Jordan to today’s Gospel revealing the miraculous power of Jesus, He is revealed as the one who is sent to convert; to change hearts and to lead to eternal life.
Why in God’s divine plan is Jesus revealed in such a way at this wedding in Cana? We know little about the wedding, only that it is in Cana, Jesus and Mary are there and Jesus brought along a few wedding crashers, some of his disciples. We do know that wedding receptions in this day were very long events, often lasting days. The sign of the successful wedding reception was that the wine flowed freely. Not so in this Gospel reading. As the wine runs out, it is Mary who takes notice and immediately goes to her Son. At first read, the response by Jesus seems almost uncaring and downright rude. Not so. From Mary’s response we all can be assured that Jesus understands and realizes his saving plan is about to be put into action. He knows that his three year life of public ministry that will culminate on Calvary and then the Resurrection is at hand.
And what was Mary’s response? Simply she said, “do whatever he tells you”.
And Jesus immediately instructs that six stone water jars, empty, be filled with water. And he next asks that the water be drawn and brought to the headwaiter. And we all know the result; the water has changed to wine. Not just wine; but new wine, the choicest wine.
For us gathered here this morning we must answer the question; how do we do whatever He tells us? Do we know what Jesus is asking of us? We must first start out like those six stone water jars. We must become empty. That’s right, we must be empty; empty of our pettiness and sin, empty of our over worldliness, empty of our selfish thoughts and opinions. Then we must allow Jesus to fill us and we must ask; Jesus, fill us to the brim. It may seem like plain ordinary water at first; but then we ask Jesus to convert us; change us to new wine, to the choicest of wine.
And then, when we surrender to this self-emptying and allow ourselves to be filled with the saving power of Jesus, we can be like those disciples in today’s Gospel and we believe in Him!
This week we all have been presented with the tragedy in Haiti. When we reflect on Mary’s words: “do whatever he tells you” we must ask ourselves what is He asking me concerning our broken devastated brothers and sisters in Haiti? We are called to respond. We are called to prayer; yes, deep, intimate prayer uniting ourselves with the suffering that is real and all-consuming among the Haitian people. And we are called to give. Through our efforts here this morning during this Mass, through ongoing relief efforts of the Catholic Relief Services and numerous other ways, Jesus is telling us to give and be generous.
The Haitian people are the broken bloody Body of Christ; just as Jesus lay broken and bloody at the foot of the cross in the arms of the same Mary who says, do whatever he tells you.
When we respond in love and solidarity, the Haitian people will be changed and can look from that scene at the foot of the cross to the Resurrection, which is both their and our hope!
From even this most unspeakable tragedy, those in Haiti and those among us who will pray and give and pray some more, we can turn to Him, empty ourselves and ask Jesus to fill us with that which will become the new wine; the choicest of wines.
The wedding feast is prepared before us right now; the temperature is fine and there is plenty of wine; the wine that will be the Blood of Christ. As we approach the banquet table at this very Mass, may our prayer be: fill me Lord Jesus, fill me to the brim and we will do whatever you tell us.
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