SECOND SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME YEAR C
16th January 2022
Isaiah 62:1-5; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; John 2:1-11.
Today’s gospel is about the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee. Our focus is on the obedience of faith in the most awkward situation. Our mother Mary stands as an example and a helper when this kind of situation presents itself. The wedding feast at Canna in Galilee saw the first miracle performed by Jesus at Mary’s request. Our interest is on how the miracle played out when the wine for the wedding suddenly ran out. Mary intervened by telling the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them in order to remedy the unfortunate situation. Jesus told the servants to fill the six jars meant for ablution and not wine, with water. Then he asked the servants to draw out some of the water and take it to the steward. We notice that from the time the instruction to fill the jars with water and the time the water was presented to the steward, no one knew that the water has been turned into wine.
The lesson for us to learn here is that sometimes our Christian faith demands the of obedience in awkward situations. Oftentimes faith does not give room for any form of mindful deliberations. There was no room for the servants to remind Jesus that the jars were meant for ablution and not for wine. They had no option than to present the water to the steward as Jesus directed them. Also Mary’s role is exceptional. She prepared the minds of the servants for the obedient response of faith. She told them, ‘Do whatever he tells you’. So whenever our faith demands this type of obedience, our lady is always close at hand to support us with her most powerful intercession. Besides, the outcome of is always beneficial as we saw in the remark made by the steward. He said, ‘People generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had plenty to drink; but you have kept the best wine till now.’ Frequent recitation of the rosary is a good way to prepare ourselves for an obedient-faith encounter.
Fr Anthony Ekpunobi, CM.
