Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” (Jn 2:1-11)
We begin the year with the first of seven signs Jesus performs, changing water into wine. In biblical times, wine symbolized the abundance of God’s blessing, the fulfillment of God’s promises, the richness and beauty of a life graced by God. May this miracle set the tone for our new year, where the blessings flow and we have a life graced by God.
Jesus didn’t just change a little water into wine. He created an abundance – equivalent to hundreds of bottles of wine. Jesus has made his dwelling among us. The world has received grace upon grace. “The wedding feast of the Lamb has begun.” In the presence of the divine groom, the waters in the jugs can’t help but be transformed into the wine of God, flowing in abundance, drowning the world in love, joy, peace, and happiness.
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That’s the message. But we don’t always feel it. The question: What do you do when the wine runs out?
What do you do when there is drudgery instead of joy in the daily routine? In the spice of life, there is apathy instead of enthusiasm. In your inner sanctuary, there is restlessness instead of peace.
The children have grown, and the once vibrant house is empty. The job that initially was challenging and fulfilling is now a drag. Prayer becomes empty and dry, and you’ve just given up.
What do you do when the wine of life runs out? These could be major movements like a career change or moving to a new location, or they could be part of the daily ups and downs, the regular consolations and desolations of the spiritual life.
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The gospel illustrates an answer to that question with three simple steps.
One, recognize the need. Two, bring the need to Jesus. Three, do whatever He says.
The first step, and sometimes the hardest step, is to recognize the need. At the wedding feast of Cana, the wine ran out. The groom didn’t notice the pending problem. The head waiter and servants didn’t notice the pending problem. Only the mother of Jesus recognized the problem. She was just an invited guest.
Sometimes when the wine runs out, a person might need ‘an invited guest’ to notice the lack. Someone who might say, “You seem meloncholoy. Distracted. Angry.”
Sometimes a person puts up with a lifeless situation for so long, it becomes the “new normal”. In a prayerful review of the heart, the person asks, “What’s going on?”
The second step is to bring this need to the attention of Jesus. Telling Jesus of the need sounds easy, but the gospel shows us that it is not always easy. Mary said simply, “They have no wine.” After this statement, it almost sounds like Jesus dismisses her by addressing her as ‘Woman’. He then makes the problem sound trivial. “What does this have to do with me?” He then sounds like he has more important things to do than to worry about this problem. “My hour has not yet come.”
When you bring the need before Jesus, you sometimes hear nothing. Nothing happens. You begin to doubt. Amid this doubt, it feels as if God has dismissed our request. “What does this have to do with me?”
How do you respond? You might get mad at God; you might lose faith in God; you might seek other solutions that may not be in harmony with God, like getting drunk on the life-destroying wine of the world and not getting drunk on the life-giving wine of God. When we take matters into our own hands, we block out the miraculous power of God to change our lives.
How did Mary respond? She had complete and total trust that Jesus heard the request and would respond to the need. Mary did not get discouraged or angry. She continued to believe that the power of God would work through her son. In total confidence, she turned to servants and simply said, “Do whatever he tells you.”
The third step is often ignored. Mary says, “Do whatever he tells you.” These are her “famous last words” in the gospel accounts. They are also the essence of Mary’s message in every appearance she has made to the world since then. “Do whatever he tells you.”
She did not say, “Do whatever he tells you only if it fits your present lifestyle. Do it only if it is convenient. Do it only if it is what you are going to do anyway. Do it only if you don’t have to change anything.
The stewards obediently did what Jesus told them to do. The result was a miracle. To move from a lack of life to an abundance of hope, one must obediently do as Jesus asks.
Here is a little personal example this week. I had some bloodwork done this week. One of the markers was a little high. I initially dismissed it. But in my morning prayer, I noticed I was feeling a little uneasy about something. I asked, “What’s going on? The bloodwork conjured up a whole host of unrelated fears. When I brought the test results to Jesus, what did he say? Relax. I’ve got this. Trust me. Do not be afraid.
What do you do when the wine starts to run out?
One, recognize the need. What parts of your life need to be touched by God? Two, bring the need to Jesus. Patiently trust that God’s covenant with you is everlasting. Three, do whatever He says. The wedding feast of the Lamb has begun. May God’s blessings flow in abundance in your life.