Wedding Feast at Cana, 1/16

As we begin ordinary time—ordinary not in the sense of lacking in exceptionality, but rather ordinary in the sense of an ordered journey through the public life of Christ—we are presented with a profoundly fitting 1ST reading and Gospel passage to open up our journey with Christ through his life which culminates at his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. 

The first reading is a gem. It speaks of the vindication of Israel who has suffered so greatly at the hands of many evils from inside and out. The passage ends with these extraordinary words:

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.

As we know, the Church always connects the 1st reading and the Gospel during the Sunday Mass showing how the fulfillment of the revelation of Israel is found in Jesus. On the surface one might see the parallel simply being the wedding feast which creates the backdrop of the story. But there is something much more profound happening here which is nothing less than literary and divine genius. Unfortunately we cannot get into much detail here, so I thought I could set up the scenario and let the reader draw out the logical conclusions. 

Jesus is partaking in the wedding feast with his disciples, the rest of the wedding guests, and of course the bride and the groom who interestingly take a back seat, allowing a different man and woman to take precedence. When the wine runs low, Mary goes to Jesus who seems hesitant, or even confused. How does your concern affect me? My hour has not come.” This line is the crux of the passage. The “hour” in the Gospel of John always points to one thing: Jesus’ passion and death on the cross. But how does this “hour” have anything to do with providing wine for these wedding guests? It perhaps becomes a bit more clear at the end, when the headwaiter asks the groom why he served the good wine last. It is the groom’s job to provide the wine.

Through the prompting of Mary, Jesus the carpenter begins to step into the role which was prophesied above in Isaiah, and which will be finally completed at this great hour when the true bridegroom will provide the saving wine at the great wedding feast of the lamb. 

- Michael Gokie, SCV