16 January 2022
MIRACLE AT CANA
BREAKING OPEN THE WORD
GIFTED FOR OTHERS(John 2: 1-11)
When the people of Israel searched for a fitting metaphor to capture the joy and celebration of the time of the Messiah, they made use of the image of the wedding feast (cf. Matthew 22: 1-10; Luke 14: 15-24). It was a time when good spirits, food, and rejoicing were in abundance. As Jesus works his first sign at Cana we see the blessings that accompany his presence. Not only does he bring the new wine of the kingdom, but the best wine has been left till last! When Jesus responds that his hour has not yet come, we are reminded that this is but the beginning of the banquet and that Jesus' hour will not finally come until he is lifted up on Calvary.
Paul never met Jesus during his earthly ministry but his experience of the risen Lord convinced him that the Messiah had come and that the messianic banquet had well and truly begun. The abundance of spiritual gifts that had been poured upon the Christian community of Corinth bore eloquent testimony to that. The problem that concerned Paul was that all these gifts would not become a source of competition and divide the community. The variety of gifts within the community was not to be a sign that some community members had been blessed more than others. Before the Lord, all of us are of equal worth and every person is called to use the gifts they have for the common good.
CHIRSTOPHER MONAGHAN CP
THE MIRACLE OF WEDDING IN CANA:
MIRACLE AT CANA:
Mo NguyenSECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - YEAR C16 January 2022MIRACLE AT CANABREAKING OPEN THE WORDGIFTED FOR OTHERS(John 2: 1-11)When the people of Israel searched for a fitting metaphor to capture the joy and celebration of the time of the Messiah, they made use of the image of the wedding feast (cf. Matthew 22: 1-10; Luke 14: 15-24). It was a time when good spirits, food, and rejoicing were in abundance. As Jesus works his first sign at Cana we see the blessings that accompany his presence. Not only does he bring the new wine of the kingdom, but the best wine has been left till last! When Jesus responds that his hour has not yet come, we are reminded that this is but the beginning of the banquet and that Jesus' hour will not finally come until he is lifted up on Calvary.Paul never met Jesus during his earthly ministry but his experience of the risen Lord convinced him that the Messiah had come and that the messianic banquet had well and truly begun. The abundance of spiritual gifts that had been poured upon the Christian community of Corinth bore eloquent testimony to that. The problem that concerned Paul was that all these gifts would not become a source of competition and divide the community. The variety of gifts within the community was not to be a sign that some community members had been blessed more than others. Before the Lord, all of us are of equal worth and every person is called to use the gifts they have for the common good.CHIRSTOPHER MONAGHAN CPTHE MIRACLE OF WEDDING IN CANA:MIRACLE AT CANA: