Fill it to the rim with Brim. Does anyone here remember this advertising slogan from the mid-seventies? It's been awhile and Brim was a brand of instant coffee. While I certainly remember the advertising campaign promoting Brim, I do not remember the product. Chances are many won't remember Brim either; it is extinct. But the slogan was so popular it lives on today and often I find myself saying fill it to the rim with Brim.
Many of us may recall certain products and services in our lives more so because of a catchy phrase or advertising jingle than the actual product itself. In other words, the real deal never mesured up to the advertising or the commercial.
As people of faith we know that Jesus is the real deal; He truly fills us to the rim.
To explain my point we need only to turn to today's Scriptures, in light of where we find ourselves this week; a week full of historical significance. In the Gospel from St. John we hear the words of the familiar wedding feast in Cana. We almost always recall the details of this Gospel passage; a wedding feast, Jesus and Mary present, Mary announces the wine is gone, Jesus replies with the startling how does this concern me and of course, the miracle itself.
Many rightfully focus on those powerful words from Scripture uttered by Mary: do whatever He tells you. Often this becomes the focal point of the homily; and it would be a great focal point. Today, I want to focus on something else; something all together different, the six stone water jars. These seemingly unimportant water jars were present at the wedding for the ceremonial washings that was the practice of the people at such an event. Important yes but most likely done as an after thought, just something we do. One thing for sure, these stone water jars held a lot of water, twenty to thirty gallons each. After that familiar dialogue between Jesus and His Mother, Jesus instructs that the water jars be filled with water. Scripture tells us that these empty water jars were filled to the rim! How long must it have taken to fill these jars with what would be as much as 180 gallons of water? And we know that the headwaiter finds these water jars full o wine; not just inferior wine, the finest of wines. Jesus'first public miracle, a sign of His abundant power and glory takes place in these six empty stone water jars. Empty before they are filled to the rim, not with Brim, but with rich choice wine.
Jesus is calling you and me to be empty so we too can be filled to the rim, with His abundant power and glory. He fills us with His Word, He fills us with His Body & Blood, He fills us with his power and glory and grace. He fills us to the rim, if we too be empty. He calls us to empty ourselves of all those things in our lives that prevent us from being filled to the rim with Him, so we may, in turn, fill others with that same saving power and glory of Jesus Christ!
This week we arrive at the inauguration of a President, the rememberance of Dr. Martin Luther King and the rememberance of the Roe v Wade, now 40 years old and the tragic snuffing out of over fifty million innocent lives. I think it fair to say that most people present in this Church this morning are not very happy with the inauguration of this sitting President. We do recall without apology that this administration has been very unfriendly to anything Pro-Life and has caused lots of pain for the Catholic Church around the HHS mandate. Many have been more than willing to express concern about all of this and still others have expressed hostile words. Can we empty ourselves of partisan political beliefs, not to give a free pass to this administration, but to pray for one who seems to be hostile to our Catholic beliefs and teaching. If we are filled to the rim with His power and glory, we would work tirelessly for conversion and change of heart as opposed to being full of anger and hate. Dr. King certainly could have been excused if he would have given in to anger and hate. He, along with so many others, witnessed countless injustices perpetrated on a people because of the color of their skin. And he fought with all he had for racial justice. All these years later, racism is still with us, despite the strides we have made. For us individually we must ask, do I entertain any racism in my heart? Do I still judge others by the color of their skin? Let's be clear, racism is a sin. We are called to empty our selves, like those water jars, so we can be filled with the love & mercy that Jesus want's to fill us! Finally, as we remember Roe v Wade and celebrate the March FOR Life we too are challenged; what do I do for life? What price am I willing to pay to promote a culture of life. Do I promote and support political candidates and other organizations and entities that provide support for a culture of death? Once again, recall those six stone jars. We too must be empty and be filled to the rim with the mercy and understanding of Christ.
So this week, pray for the President and Congress, search your hearts to ask sincerely for a conversion of their hearts, be a person that abhors racism and fights against those who continue to promote a culture of racism and finally, be a people of life. Pro-Life!
Fill it to the rim with Brim; it was a catchy slogan, the product never held up to the promises made. We are called to be filled too, like those six stone water jars; fill ME to the rim with HIM. And His promises will never disappoint!
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