Daily Mass Gospel Reflection- Running Out Of Joy

Word on Fire Ministry ^ | 1.7.23 | Bishop Robert Barron

[MurphsLaw]

John 2:1-11

Friends, in today’s Gospel, we read about the wedding at Cana.
Jesus’ mother is the first to speak, as John tells the story:
“They have no wine.”
On the surface level, she is indeed commenting on a social disaster,
running out of wine at a party,
and she is asking Jesus to do something to make things better.

But let’s go deeper.
Wine, in the Scriptures, is a symbol of the exuberance
and intoxication of the divine life.
When God is in us, we are lifted up, rendered joyful, transfigured.
Therefore, when Mary says, “They have no wine,”
she is speaking of all of Israel and indeed all of the human race.
They have run out of the exuberance and joyfulness that comes from union with God.

And this is precisely why Jesus calls her “woman.”
We can be easily misled into thinking that he was being curt or disrespectful.
But he was addressing her with the title of Eve,
the mother of all the living.
Mary is the representative here of suffering humanity,
complaining to God that the joy of life has run out.

[MurphsLaw]

+++This is what John the Baptist proclaimed:
"One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open
and the Spirit, like a dove,
descending upon him.
And a voice came from the
heavens,
"You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased."+++