1st Reading Isaiah 62: 1-5
Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8, 9-10a and c (R. 3)
R:// "Tell among all the peopled the wonders of the Lord"
2nd Reading 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Gospel John 2: 1-11
RELATIONSHIPS THAT BRING JOY
Friends, today is the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. The first reading is from Isaiah 62: 1-5, and the Gospel passage is John 2:1-11. Let's take a quick dive into them.
What is the whole issue in the first reading? Notice that the first reading has a very high matrimonial overtone. It uses the language and image of people in marriage for which reason we hear words like "bride", "bridegroom", "espoused", and "wedded", The section we are reading falls under "Third Isaiah" (Chaps. 56-66). This part of the book of Isaiah speaks about the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the reestablishment of the community after the Babylonian exile. The reading we have has this idea in the foreground. In this restoration of Jerusalem, 3 things are happening.
The first is that God's silence is broken. Secondly, Jerusalem's status changes from a forsaken and abandoned land to a delighted and wedded land. Thirdly, Jerusalem's relationship with God is restored.
The Gospel (Jn. 2: 1-11) is the famous first sign of Jesus in the Gospel according to John. He changes water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana in Galilee. We identify that this passage is also a marriage setting. Therefore, this is a matter of relationship. There was a problem in the relationship. That problem was worked on. There is a group of people who see to the well-being of every relationship. We notice that with the performance of that sign, Jesus' silence over his identity is broken, and he is known to have that power. There are a few unusual details that the author builds in that we need to focus on.
First, we need to observe that the specific name, Mary, is never mentioned. Throughout the narrative, she is referred to as "mother," and this is epic. "Mother" is a description of relationship. She is named in reference to the man whom John projects as the focus of the day. You are always mentioned in relation to the figure and event of the moment. Her personal name was not really necessary at the time. What this could imply for us is that in any kind of relationship, it is not the personal that matters, but the personal is subsumed in the collective.
The second detail John weaves in is the mention of six stone jars. Thus, "Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons" (Jn. 2:6). The purpose is for "purification". This is striking because this will point to the population gathered for the wedding. Six stone jars, each holding twenty or thirty gallons, means that there were many people there as many people would or were expected to purify themselves. This also indicates to us the great population that will be disappointed when they realise that there is no more wine.
Beloved, the presence of the guests and invitees brought joy and animated the wedding, that union, that relationship. There are people whose presence brings a kind of joy, animates, and enlightens our relationship with God. That is made possible because we exude some kind of wine, a kind of aura. They derive strength from that aura to bring out the joy that also animates our relationship with God. That should not be taken for granted. Many people look up to what we offer to bring out the joy that animates our relationship with God. Always make sure that you keep that aura in place. Otherwise, you risk losing the joy of your relationship with God
The third detail the author brings on is the mention of a steward whose attestation makes us understand that the wine served later was better than the first. Who actually is that steward?
The Greek word used there in John 2:8, translated as "steward" is "ἀρχιτρίκλινος" (architriklinos). Let's break it down. There are three words in there. There is αρχή (archē) , which means "chief", τρεις (treis), which means "three", and κλίνω (klínō), which means "to lie down". In ancient Greek and Roman banquets, guests would recline on couches (called "klinē") arranged in a U-shape. It is the responsibility of the "architriklinos" to arrange the seating, serve the food and wine, and ensure the smooth flow of the banquet. The whole ceremony revolves around the head of this particular individual. This "architriklinos" is actually the "master of the feast". There is that one person who is absorbing the pressure of the day.
Some people manage your relationship with God, and absorb some pressures you could never, and in any way, manage. They simply supply the prayers you cannot pray, they do the things you cannot do. They make your relationship with God fulfilling. These people should also never be shown ingratitude. Ensure that you are grateful to them.
Pax et Bonum
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