Daily Gospel Reflection for January 17, 2016 - Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Gospel: John 2, 1-11 - Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

What a very noisy occasion is a wedding! Everyone dressed in their finery, eating, drinking, dancing, talking and laughing. The cake, the dress, the rings, the flowers, the venue and all the other extras that we associate with a wedding. However, when we strip back the fuss we find the love of two people who have chosen to spend the rest of their lives with each other.

The image is much the same today as it was for Jesus and Mary when they were attending the wedding at Cana. The fuss, the stress, the keeping up appearances - imagine the embarrassment of the family in Cana two thousand years ago at having run out of wine! Mary, however, wishes to save the blushes of the family, so intervenes and asks Jesus to help. Jesus is reluctant though, protesting that it is not yet time for his public ministry to begin. He gives in to his mother's request and turns water into the most exquisite wine.

Jesus, albeit reluctantly, did as his mother asked him. Why? Because when we strip back the fuss of that day, we find the love of a mother and a son. In this Gospel passage, John so beautifully shows us the marriage of the humanity and divinity of Jesus. He shows us the son who wishes to please his mother, and the God who can turn water into wine. John does more than this in this simple narrative. He shows us that we are like those stone water jars and by allowing the Lord to dwell within us we will be transformed into something most exquisite like that wedding feast wine.

Ponder:

In my life, how do I show myself to be transformed by Jesus?

Pray:

Dear Lord, may I always be a vessel of the Holy Spirit and allow you to transform me to be the very best version of myself. Amen.

Copyright 2016 Claire Howell

I'm Claire, I'm 27 and I live in Scotland. I'm a teacher of Religious Education and get to spread the Gospel daily to 12-18 year olds. I run 'Catholic Clara' on Facebook and Twitter - my attempt at trying methods of new evangelization.