Second Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year C: Cana

Jesus walks into a bar. “Just 12 waters, please,” while winking at his disciples.

I saw this post on social media, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHICH PAGE OF THE BIBLE EXPLAINS HOW TO TURN WATER INTO WINE? I AM JUST ASKING FOR FRIEND.

“The Church attaches great importance to Jesus’ presence at the wedding at Cana,” the Catechism says. “She sees in it the confirmation of the goodness of marriage and the proclamation that thenceforth marriage will be an efficacious sign of Christ’s presence” (1613).

Christ is already in your marriage, especially in the sacrament of marriage if both the husband and wife are baptized. The wine of a good marital relationship is not meant to run out. It is like nuclear fusion that can always generate energy. We just must renew our relationship with Jesus Christ, like keeping God first, and ask: Am I holding up MY part of the covenant of marriage?

Take for example the story I just heard about the woman at the airport check-in counter. She asked the agent for window seats for both her and her husband. The clerk pointed out that would prevent them from sitting together.

The woman replied, "Sweetie, I just spent ten days of quality time in a compact rental car with this man. I know what I’m requesting."1

If you left a dirty dish in the sink, and one of you wanted to argue about that? We priests don’t do that in our rectory! The key is not to be overly rigid or demanding; to make sure that when it comes to things like childcare, and house cleaning, that one’s spouse is not feeling overburdened.

For all, like Mary, we are called to save others from shattering embarrassment, help ease the pain of others, by bringing all this to Jesus. 2

E.g. A priest can see migrants working in the fields. He can be a detached spectator to this or and spend time with them, and celebrate the sacraments, and give Bible studies and catechism lessons as the bishop and his priests and seminarians do in the Diocese of Yakima in Central Washington State.

“If a bridegroom ran out of wine at his wedding, there would be social and possibly even legal consequences. He could be shamed for years to come and could even be considered a disgrace to the family,” and so Mary tells Jesus about the lack of wine in a discreet manner.3

Be specific in marital communication. Notice what Mary said, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). Jesus is specific to the servants: “Fill the jars with water” (John 2:7). “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” (John 2:8). 4

However, in certain situations, people don't communicate in a direct way. Why does Jesus say to his mother that the groom’s "running out of wine" is connected to "the hour of the cross"?

He explains his reasoning this way: “For my hour is not yet come.” He is not objecting to Mary’s request, only questioning the timing. Jesus in effect is saying, “Why are you interceding with me? It is not yet the hour of my saving death.” In other words, Mary’s intercession, like yours and mine, draws all its power from the sacrifice of Christ. Jesus’ “hour” does not make Mary’s intercession improper or unnecessary; on the contrary, it is the very basis for Mary’s intercession. 5

Jesus calling Mary, “woman” is a key term, i.e., “woman, behold your son!” on the Cross. It is a reverential term, for even Roman Caesar Augustus addressed Cleopatra as “Woman.”

Jesus chooses to honor his mother. “Do whatever he commands you,” Mary says. The fact that Mary did intercede is indicative of her continual honor and influence within the church.

In Jesus' day, as today, drinking wine was perfectly acceptable; drunkenness is not. Jesus makes 180 gallons of wine from stone jars filled with water. Stone jars are very upscale, much more costly than clay jars. Jesus made 120 to 180 gallons of fine wine, about 800 bottles.

Conclusion: A woman in Galveston, Texas, was cleaning out a birdcage with a vacuum cleaner when the phone rang. While reaching for the phone with one hand, the other hand raised the nozzle of the device from the floor of the cage, just enough to whoosh her little pet into the bag. She dropped the phone, shut off the device and opened the bag as quickly as possible. Although covered with dust, lint and hair, the little critter had survived. She cleaned him off and returned him to his perch, but he was a changed bird. Weeks later she told a neighbor, “He doesn’t sing anymore; he just sits and stares.”6 The wine has run out.

Jesus and Mary do not want us to be like that bird–they don’t sing. They just sit and stare. The song of joy has gone out of them.