Jesus, Joyful Wine Of Eternal Life
Introduction
The Lord wants to tell us today that life is a feast. A feast? With all its troubles and miseries? Yes, a feast, if we learn to look at it with eyes of faith, if we come to see what makes life beautiful. We all have our daily cares, we may have days of mourning and problems, but the deepest reality is that we are not alone, that we have God, who lets us drink the wine of his love, God who gives us Jesus to lead us to him. Let us drink the wine of joy!
First Reading: God Married to His People
Even though his people have been unfaithful to him, God forgives their infidelity. For he is “married” to his people forever.
1 Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5
For Zion’s sake I will not be silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines forth like the dawn
and her victory like a burning torch.
Nations shall behold your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
you shall be called by a new name
pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.
You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,
a royal diadem held by your God.
No more shall people call you “Forsaken, ”
or your land “Desolate, ”
but you shall be called “My Delight, ”
and your land “Espoused.”
For the LORD delights in you
and makes your land his spouse.
As a young man marries a virgin,
your Builder shall marry you;
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride
so shall your God rejoice in you.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10
R. (3) Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth;
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He governs the peoples with equity.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Second Reading: One Spirit, Many Gifts
One and the same Spirit gives an endless diversity of gifts to the Church to make it one in its rich variety.
2 Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Brothers and sisters:
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;
there are different workings but the same God
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom;
to another, the expression of knowledge according to the
same Spirit;
to another, faith by the same Spirit;
to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit;
to another, mighty deeds;
to another, prophecy;
to another, discernment of spirits;
to another, varieties of tongues;
to another, interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit produces all of these,
distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
Alleluia: cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called us through the Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Jesus, the Bridegroom
Jesus “gives his first sign” that he is the bridegroom, who has united himself to people in a bond of love. He will give them the wine abounding with life and happiness.
Gospel: John 2:1-11
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
“They have no wine.”
And Jesus said to her,
“Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servers,
“Do whatever he tells you.”
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told the them,
“Fill the jars with water.
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
“Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.”
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
“Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now.”
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.
Commentary
When two young people set out together on the adventure of married life, they affirm that they believe in each other, in love, in life, in the future. This is the message God speaks to us today. He has committed himself to us, his people, in a covenant bond of love, as lasting and as beautiful as marriage, when his Son Jesus became human. In him God has given himself to us forever, for better and for worse, accepting that his Son laid down his life for us, so that we might live. He continues to change for us the unattractive and tasteless water of the drabness and failures of our existence into plenty of wine and joy. And the best wine will be kept for the end, for eternal happiness. In this Eucharist Jesus changes bread and wine for us into the food and drink of life. Let us participate wholly.
Blessing
A marriage feast is always important
as a feast of love and friendship.
Today we have celebrated in this Eucharist
God’s love for his people:
God is “married” to us,
Jesus is married to his Church.
God’s love is faithful.
May you always respond to his love,
with the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us live in unity and peace
as God’s beloved people. R/ Thanks be to God.