Familiar, Familial Relations

Jan. 19: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

In his Gospel, John never refers to Mary as "Mary;" instead, it's always "The Mother of Jesus." It's kind of weird that John never names her, isn't it? Remember that, on the cross, Jesus instructed John to take care of Mary his own mother.

So, at the time John wrote his Gospel, Mary was his mother, by spiritual adoption. But in the context of the story, she's not yet. It would be disrespectful to call his mother by her first name, even in writing after the fact, so what does he do? Call her "Mother of Jesus."

It turns out, what we call Mary matters. Since Jesus is God, this tells us that Mary's title "Mother of God" has always been valid. But in today's Gospel passage, Jesus doesn't call her "mom," either. And as we’ll see, that's very deliberate.

Reading I

Is 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.

Marriage is a special vocation. A husband and wife become one, and they participate in God's creation by bringing new life into the world. God tells Isaiah that he will enter into a relationship with His people that's similar to a marriage in its closeness.

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.

Celebrations are meant to be community affairs. It's no fun having a party by yourself.

And so all nations are called to join in together to praise and bless God.

Reading II

1 Cor 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.

Not everyone is called to marriage, but we still all have our place in the body of Christ.

Not everyone will be gifted with the fantastic charisms that Paul describes. We don't know how or why God distributes them the way he does. But we do know that God calls on each of us to perform the work he put us on Earth for.

Alleluia

2 Thes 2:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called us through the Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

This line comes in the context of Thessalonians receiving a false Gospel, and writing to Paul about what to do. His response is to look to the Gospels, where Jesus performs signs so that we may believe.

Gospel

Jn 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 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.

Jesus calls Mary "woman," which sounds rude. But the truth is, the Greek word gunai doesn't have a good equivalent in English. It could also be rendered as "madam."

What's happening here is, Jesus is elevating His speech. This isn't a casual conversation between a mother and son; this is the Creator Made Flesh speaking to His Most Holy Creation.

He's not asking her a rhetorical question. No, Jesus wants Mary to actually think about the relationship between a wedding and God. It's not just a party celebrating two people who really, really like each other. It's an Earthly sign of God's love and fidelity.

We don't know why the party ran out of wine. It could just be poor planning, but it could be that someone doesn't approve of this coupling. Maybe the families didn't get along, or the in-laws thought their child could do better, so they sabotages the event by shorting the wine.

Whatever is going on beneath the surface, doesn't really matter. "What does [this marriage] to do with [God]?" Everything. And Jesus isn't going to let petty squabbling or thoughtlessness mar the occasion.

One final point—Mary’s simple instructions to the servers are the last words she speaks in the Gospel. They’re also the last words she says to us: “Do whatever he tells you.”

We should listen to our mother in Heaven.