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

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.

Many of us watch with great sadness news updates describing the devastation left behind by the wildfires that continue to burn in California. A headline on a prominent national news channel read, “It’s incredible seeing neighbors helping neighbors”. Another read, “Neighbors offer a hand amid devastating fires”.

As Catholics we shudder to think of anyone with the means to help would not do so.

In today’s sacred Gospel account of the Miracle at the Wedding Feast of Cana, Jesus is called by His mother to assist the bridegroom whose wedding feast is about to come to an abrupt end. This  negative outcome would spell disaster for the couple who would have to turn their guests away.

But Jesus comes to their aid. According to the Gospel account, there were six stone water jars each holding twenty to thirty gallons of water. That’s between 120 and 180 gallons of water which, when turned into wine would fill between 600 to 900 bottles of wine. Jesus goes beyond simply supplying a little wine; he gives it in abundance.

The wine is merely a metaphor for the abundance of God’s gifts to each of us. And Jesus tells us, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10). Jesus is always willing to give. He delights in our delight.

This public miracle is proof of His divine power and the beginning of Jesus revealing His glory to humanity. As a result, “His disciples began to believe in Him” (Jn 2:11).

This – along with the other miracles recorded in the gospels – reveals another aspect of Jesus’ glory; His compassion for the sick and for the hungry crowds and His power over nature; even His power over death. Through this first public miracle, God’s glory and power is being revealed to us through Jesus His Son.

We enter into the Gospel passage as readers of the account but can easily imagine being physically present at the wedding feast. We’ve all been invited to the same wedding feast that Jesus was invited to. It’s called “life”. At any one time we can be in the same position as the bridegroom; our wine can run out.

We must also enter the Gospel in a contemporary way for “the word of God is living and effective” (Heb 4:12). We need to apply the Gospel to our lives just as the disciples had to learn its application during their time on earth.

Jesus is the bridegroom and we are his bride. Just as Jesus was invited to the wedding, He invites us to the eternal banquet where the feast will never end.   

When reading and interpreting Scripture, we must be vigilant to apply the actions and meanings to contemporary times; for God is, was, and always will be present in the world.

In today’s second reading, St. Paul reminds us of the abundance of God’s gifts to each and every one of us. And these gifts are to be used to build up Christ’s body, the Church. They are not given for us to use in a selfish way but rather to be shared and put to good use. They are to be multiplied like the water turned wine was multiplied to continue the wedding feast.

It is logical to look back at the actions that occurred at the Wedding Feast at Cana and approach this Gospel passage from an historic reflection; that Jesus’ commenting that the time for His passion, death, and resurrection had not yet come. We are correct in making the correlation between Our Blessed Mother calling her Son to action and Jesus telling her that “[His] hour has not yet come” (Jn 2:4).

But we are not at a wedding banquet that transpired 2,000 years ago. We are here and now. What does Jesus telling His Mother, “My hour has not yet come” have to do with us? Jesus is speaking to us of His Second Coming. As we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ we would do well to heed our Blessed Mother’s last recorded words in Scripture, “Do whatever He tells you.” While those words were spoken to the servants, they are also spoken to us. And Jesus tells us to love one another; to reach out in the ordinary kindnesses of life. Jesus is there to touch the ordinary occurrences in our lives and make them extra-ordinary.

We all know people, perhaps ourselves, whose cup is empty; whose wine has run out. We know people who are physically, emotionally, or mentally broken. Worst of all, we know people who are spiritually broken. Their wine barrel is empty.

Just like the bridegroom and headwaiter found out, Jesus is the answer to these problems.

When people come to us and share their difficulties and emptiness; when the wine of life has run dry, there is something we can do. We can pray with them. We can pray for them. We can accompany them on their journey back to God and bear witness to the Light of Christ. We can be Pilgrims of Hope in a sometimes hopeless world.

Jesus was invited to a wedding in Cana. Now it’s time for each of us to invite Him to the wedding feast of our lives. Through prayer and wholesome living may we receive the superabundance of grace God wants to pour into our hearts.

Deacon Mark Izzo, Permanent Deacon, Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Saint Anthony Parish

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.

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.

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.

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.