Jesus listens to mother Mary.

Jan.17^th, ‘16 Sunday Homily : Fr.Francis Chirackal CMI

Is 62: 1-5; I Cor 12: 4-11, Jn 2: 1-11

For Readings

http://www.usccb.org/nab/011716.shtml

There is a community hall near to our church. Most of the time I pass by that road, I see busy preparations for wedding parties in that hall, with great illuminations and decorations. I too blessed many weddings for last few months and a few more are on schedule. Now and then, I get phone calls from them and they make long conversation of their wonderful preparations for wedding.  Last day, one of the new couples came with a big album to show me the wonderful pictures of their wedding. Many times I notice the new couples regularly coming to Sunday Masses and attend the Mass together. All these things reveal the great importance they give to make their wedding day the most joyful and blessed one in their life. They plan long in advance so that the wedding celebrations go off without a hitch. But in spite of their best efforts, they sometimes land up in unpleasant situations that they didn’t quite anticipate. Today’s gospel presents a situation similar to those ones. In spite of their best calculations, the wine ran short and the couple would have been exposed to a lot of embarrassment on the very day of their wedding. Luckily for them, since they had invited Mary, the Mother of Jesus, she noticed that and discovered what the problem was. Eager to do something constructive, she approached her son Jesus, and He saved them in which his divinity also was revealed.

In the first reading from the book of Isaiah, the Prophet cheers up the Israelites who just returned from Babylonian exile and found their city ruined. The prophet speaks of their future glory and encouraged them to be a rejoicing people. In the second reading, St.Paul in his letter to Corinthians speaks of different gifts as the community progresses in the Spirit. The Gospel, presents the first miracle of Jesus at Cana, in which he converted water into wine to save a family from humiliation.

Johnny Carson was interviewing an eight-year-old boy one night. As Johnny interviewing him, it became apparent that the boy was a Christian. Johnny asked him if he attended Sunday school. When the boy said he did, Johnny inquired, "What are you learning in Sunday school?" "Last week,” the boy replied, “our lesson was about how Jesus went to a wedding and turned water into wine." Keeping a straight face, Johnny asked, "And what did you learn from that story?" It was apparent that he hadn't thought about this. But then he lifted up his face and said, "If you're going to have a wedding, make sure you invite Jesus and Mary!" And that is precisely the message of today’s gospel: make sure we invite Jesus and Mary wherever we live and we go or whatever we do – they are the only ones we will ever need. In other words, today's gospel lesson is about the sufficiency of Christ in our lives and the power of His mother’s intercession.

Today millions of families including rich and poor are living with continuous peace and joy keeping Jesus and Mary with them in their family and personal affairs. They draw strength and spirit from Jesus and Mary, during the time of joy, hardships and to solve problems. At the same time, we may see thousands of families disintegrating and crashing, which could have been avoided, if they had invited and received Jesus and Mary in their family lives. God is the life giving power and never ending source of love and unity. We need this continuous re-filling of life-giving spirit from God.

Our life and our families are also meant to strengthen and protect the God-given life. Nothing in this world can compensate a human life. Jesus came to this world to give life to all in its fullness. God is the source and end of life. Life in fullness includes physical life, mental life and spiritual life. Anything that undervalues the importance of life, from conception to death goes against God’s plan and will. We can’t keep God with us by neglecting or destroying human life. We can only experience the presence and support of Jesus and Mary, when we cooperate with God’s plan. Keeping God away from our lives leads to wandering aimlessly in which real peace and joy will be only an oasis. Every time we ignore or forget God in our lives, whether individually or collectively, our lives become aimless and end with disappointments and failures. Therefore we need to refocus our aim on God whenever we find that we are distracted, intending to submit ourselves to God and receive God in our hearts as Mary received the Word of God. Only God can remain our permanent life giving source and be the joyful aim of our lives and He, is the only one who can make our lives fruitful.  

At Cana, Jesus saved the newly married young couples and their family from humiliation by transforming water into wine. This Jubilee year of Mercy, our Church invites and reminds us make the life of others more joyful and peaceful through our supportive presence and acts of charity. At the end of His public ministry Jesus established the Eucharist, sacrament of eternal love and mercy, by transforming bread and wine into His own Body and Blood, to save the human race and to give eternal life. Jesus performed these miracles in a home setting. It reveals that a home with God’s invited presence will become a place of His saving miracles. 

Today, we need to wake up ourselves in our family settings to keep the lamp of love and mercy burning. Our holy Father Pope Francis is leading us with own examples of mercy and love. Let us keep Jesus and Mary in our personal and family lives and entrust ourselves to their protection and care. If our families have lost the savor of mutual sacrificial love, forgiveness and mercy, today let us renew them at this altar with the invigorating power of the Holy Spirit. Let us remain with our God and help others to find life in its fullness through a life of faith, love, charity and mercy. Our lives will be safe, peaceful and successful with Jesus and Mary. God bless you.