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!!
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!!
This week in the Gospel from St. John we arrive at the wedding feast of Cana and the third and final manifestation of Jesus. We remember that the miracle Jesus performs here, along with His Epiphany and His Baptism comprise the manifestation of Jesus Christ. 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 washing that was the practice of the people at such an event. 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 of 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, like those water jars, 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 and He fills us with His mercy. He fills us to the rim, if we are empty and can receive His gifts and graces. 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 a couple of very big events; the rememberance of Dr. Martin Luther King and the rememberance of the Roe v Wade, now 43 years old and the tragic killing out of over fifty three million innocent lives. Dr. King, as he worked to end racism and violence and help establish civil rights 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. The Catechism tells us that every form of discrimination, including race and color, must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design(1935). 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 with; fill us to the rim! And 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. This weekend we can support our baby bottles promotion which helps us raise much needed funds for ultra-sound machines and support other pro-life activities. And we can ask: do I promote and support political candidates and other organizations and entities that provide support for a culture of death? Do I understand the pure evil that is organizations like Planned Parenthood? Once again, recall those six stone jars. Again, we are called to be empty and be filled to the rim with the mercy and understanding of Christ.
So this week, as we recall those six empty stone water jars that eventually were filled by Jesus with the choicest wine? Then we must ask ourselves, I am empty of all that junk and clutter of everyday life so I can be filled to the rim with all that Jesus desires for me? This week, can we witness our being that person who abhors racism and fights against those who continue to promote racism and can we witness that we are 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!
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 washing that was the practice of the people at such an event. 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 of 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, like those water jars, 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 and He fills us with His mercy. He fills us to the rim, if we are empty and can receive His gifts and graces. 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 a couple of very big events; the rememberance of Dr. Martin Luther King and the rememberance of the Roe v Wade, now 43 years old and the tragic killing out of over fifty three million innocent lives. Dr. King, as he worked to end racism and violence and help establish civil rights 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. The Catechism tells us that every form of discrimination, including race and color, must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design(1935). 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 with; fill us to the rim! And 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. This weekend we can support our baby bottles promotion which helps us raise much needed funds for ultra-sound machines and support other pro-life activities. And we can ask: do I promote and support political candidates and other organizations and entities that provide support for a culture of death? Do I understand the pure evil that is organizations like Planned Parenthood? Once again, recall those six stone jars. Again, we are called to be empty and be filled to the rim with the mercy and understanding of Christ.
So this week, as we recall those six empty stone water jars that eventually were filled by Jesus with the choicest wine? Then we must ask ourselves, I am empty of all that junk and clutter of everyday life so I can be filled to the rim with all that Jesus desires for me? This week, can we witness our being that person who abhors racism and fights against those who continue to promote racism and can we witness that we are 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!
No comments:
Post a Comment