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“Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:11)
“SOUL-SURFING” – January 17, 2010
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
John 2:1-11
Fr. Robert deLeon, CSC
While we Christians in the west remember the events of Epiphany, the baptism of Jesus and the miracle at Cana as separate events and celebrate them on successive Sundays after Christmas, the Eastern Christian Churches combine these three events into one celebration. Each year on January 6th the eastern churches mark the Feast of Theophany; that is, the celebration of a tri-fold manifestation of God made tangible to human senses. The first manifestation, Epiphany, marks the arrival at Bethlehem of the magi who have traveled long, following a star’s lead, in search of heaven’s king. The second manifestation, the baptism of Jesus, marks the event of the Heavenly Father’s proclamation that Jesus is his beloved son. The third manifestation, recalled in today’s gospel, takes place at the wedding feast at Cana where Jesus manifests his divinity by changing water into wine.
Indeed, the gospel passage we hear today is surely less about a wedding, more about the power of God to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. As St. John’s gospel relates, “Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:11) As once again we hear the familiar story, we need ask ourselves what other miracles, perhaps even in my own life, might Jesus be working even now? How might Jesus at this very moment be transforming within me the seemingly ordinary into something richly extraordinary? Indeed, what fine wine is being called forth from within me this very day?
While Jesus surely continues to work miracles in our lives as dramatic as that first public manifestation at Cana’s wedding, I think that more often the miracle is that Jesus opens our eyes to see the already occurring wonders that, at first glance, we perceived to be not much at all. Truly, miracles more dramatic than Cana are occurring all the time if we have but eyes to see. So proclaims a recently sighted bumper sticker: "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." (Robert Brault)
Another truth, though, is that rarely do our eyes open of themselves to God’s wonders. Such eye-opening usually requires the assistance of a prophet-like figure, someone very like the Old Testament figures who comforted, cajoled and even threatened people. And indeed, such prophets move among us today, inviting us to open our eyes to what’s most important, inviting us to see anew what we’ve taken for granted, inviting us to taste of the fine wine God continually offers. Consider the following true story of a prophet heralded as one of our country’s living treasures:
“Billy Graham is now 91 years old. In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son to a luncheon in his honor. Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, 'We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.' So he agreed.
“After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, 'I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.
“‘The conductor said, “Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.” Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, “Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.” Einstein looked at him and said, 'Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.''
“Having said that Billy Graham continued, 'See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My children and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am, I also know where I'm going.'” (Original source unknown)
Yes, today we recall the first public miracle of Jesus as an adult when, as the gospel relates, “Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:11) In our own day, Cana’s miracle is repeated again, water becoming fine wine, the ordinary revealed as extraordinary, when Jesus touches our eyes through his chosen instruments, be they national treasures (“I know who I am and I know where I'm going.”) or even bumper stickers ("Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.").