THE WORD
Miracle workers Jn 2:1-11
There can be few things more embarrassing than being at a wedding and the drink runs out. Everybody is having a great time, the band is playing, the celebration is in full swing, people are eating and drinking, and then, horror of horrors, the bar runs dry. Imagine the anger and embarrassment of the wedding couple when the hotel manager tells them the awful news. It wouldn’t be long before the scene would be posted on YouTube.
We can identify with the Cana couple’s predicament. We all know that life isn’t perfect and that we need the help of others when difficulties come our way. In today’s Gospel Mary sees the problem and asks Jesus to help. He seems reluctant to intervene, but Mary is not put off. She knows her son won’t let the wedding couple down, so she instructs the servants to do whatever he tells them.
In turning the water into wine Jesus works a miracle. He gives a sign, not because he wants to show how wonderful he is, but in order to meet someone’s need. It reveals something of his identity. Although he is ready to argue that his time has not yet come, when called upon to help, he cannot say no. He comes to people in their need, as he always does.
DO
As this new year begins, think of something you could do to change another person’s life for the better.
PRAY
Jesus’ relationship with people transforms them. Pray for yourself and for your parish community that you will have a deeper relationship with the Lord who saves.
SAY
“Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life. You have the message of eternal life. Amen.”
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LEARN
- Miracles happen when enough people have faith to believe that change is possible
- Mary instructs the servants:”Do whatever he tells you.” that is the meaning of discipleship – to do whatever it is that Jesus asks of us
REFLECT
Sometimes we hear people say in despair,”It’s going to take a miracle to change this.” They may be talking about a young person on a life support-machine or a more global issue like providing medicine and food to people suffering from famine or war. There can be a tendency to believe that miracles are moments of magic. But magic is illusionary and what the magician does is simply convince us that they have done something impossible.
Miracles are different because they bring about real change in people and situations. For miracles to occur, we need to believe in the possibility of change, and work to make it happen. Jesus needs us to participate in the work of changing water into wine. At Cana there was Mary, the sevants and the steward. He didn’t work alone.
When we turn to Jesus for help we open ourselves to the possibility of change taking place. It may not happen in the way we expect but if we look carefully we will learn to see God at work in our lives.
At the start of this millennium, when ‘Jubilee 2000’ was seeking an end to third world debt, people around the globe campaigned to ‘make poverty history.’ They were hoping for a miracle – they wanted the G8 countries to wipe away all debt. It didn’t happen and there was disappointment. But they had missed the real miracle that had taken place – the fact that so many people worldwide had united to fight for justice on behalf of millions of their fellow human beings they would never meet and never know by name. Miracles do happen when we work together to build the kingdom.
