WE SEE GOD’S GLORY BEING REVEALED IN OUR MIDST
(A biblical refection on the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, 20 January 2013)
First Reading: Is 62:1-5; Psalms: Ps 96:1-3,7-10; Second Reading: 1Cor 12:4-11; Gospel Reading: Jn 2:1-11
IN his book JOHN: THE DIFFERENT GOSPEL, Fr. Michael Taylor points out that unlike the other evangelists, John calls Jesus’ works of wonder signs instead of miracles. John does this because they reveal in a visible way the inner and spiritual identity of Jesus.
This is the reason why Christ’s first sign at Cana is used to complete the Epiphany cycle of manifestations about Him. The star of the Epiphany Feast itself revealed to the wise men the newborn Savior. Our Lord’s baptism last week revealed to John the Baptist that Jesus was God’s beloved Son. The wedding at Cana today reveals some of the meaning of Christ’s role as Messiah.
The first symbol which strikes us in the story if the marriage itself. The first reading from the prophet Isaiah is but one of many Old Testament examples which use the intimate and ultimate love between a husband and wife as an image to describe the deep personal love God has for His people. This love is now being revealed through His Son Jesus.
The second symbol is the set of six jars which were used for Jewish ceremonial washing. John chose the number six to indicate the imperfection of the Old Testament purification of the Mosaic Law compared to the perfect New Testament purification from sin that would be accomplished by Jesus.
A third symbol in the Cana story is the wine, another Old Testament image associated with the messianic age. When Jesus took the water and changed it into an abundant quantity of wine (some 150 gallons) of choicest quality, this symbolized that the Messiah was now here and that the new age had begun.
The Old Testament, signified by the water, is not cast aside; it is being transformed by Jesus into something better – the new wine of the New Testament. Indeed, this hour that has finally come is the best that is to be in human history because it is characterized by the abundance and excellence of God’s glory being revealed in Jesus.
So much for the symbolism of the wedding at Cana. How do we fit into the story? The story begins and ends on a note of faith – Mary’s faith at the beginning when she informs her Son about the shortage of wine, and the disciples’ faith at the end when they believed in Him.
Whether we see ourselves as the wedding couple or the waiter or the guests isn’t important. What is important is that we see God’s glory being revealed in our midst here and now through Jesus, and that we respond to Him in faith.
What matters is that we see how Jesus continually takes whatever stands for imperfect water in our lives – our mistakes, our emptiness, our disappointments, our hurts, our sins – and transforms them into the best of wine: new hope, new dreams, new courage, new efforts, new life.
Note: Taken from Albert Cylwicki, CSB, HIS WORD RESOUNDS, Makati, Philippines: St. Paul Publications, 1991, pages 245-246.