Reflection on John 2:1-11: Wedding at Cana

Gospel: John 2:1-11

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 (honor), and his disciples began to believe in him.

John’s gospel is filled with rich symbolism that can be read on several different levels: concerning Jesus’ life; concerning the life of members in John the Evangelist’s community; concerning the life of the Church today and throughout history. The story of the Wedding at Cana includes the first of Jesus’ glory- filled signs and another of the Messiah’s epiphanies (revelation to the world). Jesus’ first sign, turning water into wine, reveals the glory of God, and as a result, Jesus’ disciples come to believe in him as the mediator of God’s graces.

In what sense does it reveal God’s glory? This is best understood by looking backward to the event. John the evangelist had a purpose in writing his gospel: his own community had been banished from the worshipping Jewish community, and he had to convince them to choose to remain followers of Jesus at the risk of losing their families, traditions, friends, etc. This was serious, literally a choice between life and death for many. Many were feeling forsaken, confused, angry, and/or desolate. John was trying to create a unique and attractive identity for his family of faith and so he wanted to show that Jesus was in fact “I AM” (the ancient name for Yahweh), that Jesus fulfilled and surpassed the Jewish laws, rituals, and traditions, and that the followers of Jesus were the new Chosen People, the new Israel living in God’s reign.

The water becoming wine incident is significant on several levels. When the mother of Jesus first approached him about the fact that the wine had run out, Jesus replied, “My hour has not yet come.” The “hour” that he is referring to is his revelation as the Messiah most profoundly expressed in the shedding of his blood on the cross and his subsequent resurrection. The fact that the wedding feast does in fact become the place of this miracle links the wine, the result of his spoken word, with the blood he shed on the cross. Both were done in response to the will of others: in this case, the command of his mother; later on, the demands of wicked men in the face of God’s love. In this way, the early Christians understood innately the use of wine in the Eucharistic meal as Jesus’ sacrificial blood shed for all and the inauguration of the messianic reign in God’s Kingdom. Those who participate in the new wine of Christ become the guests at God’s wedding banquet here and now. It was unthinkable that the sign of God’s Kingdom would “run out” and the deprived people be left to wander off in doubt or ponder another disappointment; the mother of Jesus would not allow it, nor would John.

Another powerful symbol John’s readers would have pondered was the jugs of water. These large stone jars held the water which faithful Jews used to wash their hands and faces before sitting down to the feast, and perhaps their feet after the dusty walk to the wedding. These acts were consistent with the purification rituals practiced by law-abiding Jews. The people around Cana were peasants, and water was not always in abundance. The fact that so much water was available at this wedding indicated the sizable invitation list and length of the feast (eight days). Weddings in this poverty stricken culture were truly signs of God’s blessing. Because the wine of Jesus’ glory came from these jars, John seems to have been suggesting that salvation through Christ expressed in baptism came out of Judaism, and at the same time, the new wine (Jesus’ wine: Christians) was better than the first wine (Judaism), as discovered and exclaimed by the steward (John). The new life brought about by belief in Jesus, who was himself fully Jewish, is superior to that available under the Jewish law. This idea was intended to soften the pain experienced by his community members cut off from their families because of their baptism into the family of Jesus and bring former enemies (Pharisees, Samaritans, Gentiles, followers of Jesus) together around the Eucharistic Table.

DID YOU KNOW: in Jesus’ time, the ideal spouse was a first cousin? The people of the Mediterranean cultures practiced arranged marriages for thousands of years in order to strengthen familial bonds. Most of the wedding guests were related. Jesus’ miracle “saved face” for the family in a society flush with criticism but also reinforced the celebration as a thanksgiving for God’s bringing these families together in prosperity.

Reflection by Rodney Bluml,
Pastoral Associate/Faith Formation Director
St. Joseph Catholic Church
Marion, IA

An Advent Talk

An Advent Talk from Anne, a lay apostle...

(This was taken from Direction for Our Times, the organization supporting the work of Anne of Ireland. Visit this page for more information about Anne and her mission. You can view a video of Anne giving this talk in Bailieborough, Ireland here.)

We are in Advent. Jesus is coming. As a mother, I remember when a new baby was placed in my arms. When I looked down at this infant, she looked at me so seriously and deeply that I was startled. I thought, 'This baby knows everything!' The wisdom that came through the eyes of the little girl amazed me and it was clear that this child had come from heaven. She knew God. It was there in the dignity of her gaze.

We think of Jesus in the manger, a new born baby, destined to be King. He is born helpless, willing to share the intense and aching vulnerability of our humanity. Indeed, he was born to be vulnerable, to submit himself fully to the hatred of those suffering separation from the Father's will. Why do I say that the Lord's executioners and persecutors were suffering? Because, where there is no union with the divine will, there will be no peace. When looking on the scene of the Passion, it would be clear in our humanity that the person we would least like to change places with would be Jesus Christ. But in looking on the scene of the Passion in our spiritual selves, the person we would be most willing to change places with is Jesus Christ. We do not want to be the bad guys in the lives of others. We want to love like Jesus.

Yes, the Lord, Jesus Christ, comes as an infant in a manger and we, His people, wait for Christmas. As I prayed about this, with the expectation and wonder that comes in the mystical contemplation of Christmas, I saw something more. I saw again that, truly, as an apostolate, we are an Advent people. Our whole reason for being mystically assembled around the world is to prepare for Jesus to come again as King. Blessed John Paul II said that we were in the Advent period of the Second Coming. This is simple, but big, like the Great Wall of China. Sometimes, when looking at something big, it is hard to take in and we have to consider it. So let us think. What does it look like to be an Advent people?

Well, I suppose that in order to know what an Advent person looks like, we will each have to look in the mirror, meaning, we will have to study Christ in us, personally. We are THE Advent people. This is THE Advent time. Christ is returning, not just 2000 years ago, but today, at this moment, through each of us. This is the plan. Mary, our mother, received Jesus into her body not only for the people alive at the first Christmas but also for every person, for all time. Mary received Jesus into her body and delivered him for each one of us. Mary, right now, this Advent, desires to deliver Jesus to us personally. Mary was the first Tabernacle and Jesus was happy to be nestled safely in His mother's body. In the same way, Jesus is happy to be nestled safely in each one of our souls. We, like Mary, are called to deliver Christ to others. We, like Mary, will have to be generous in our hearts to do that. We, like Mary, will have to surrender our plan for our life in order to give birth, through our life, to God's plan for us and for humanity. What we do counts! Our answer, like Mary's, is important.

Did God ask Mary to give one day a week, so that He could be born into the world? Did God say, Mary, have the baby and that will be you finished. Once you deliver the plan, you're done. No. Mary not only delivered the Saviour, Gods' plan for the Redemption of mankind, Mary was called to protect the Saviour, in an on-going way. My friends, we are the same. When we accept Christ, it is not an answer for a moment, but an answer for a lifetime, or, at least, hopefully, from now on. When we say our Allegiance Prayer, we are not giving the ONLY yes of the day, just the first yes of the day. We are called to give a series of yes answers so that the hope that God has brought to us can be delivered to others. God needed Mary to give Him her whole heart and God needs us to give him our whole hearts. In our Catholic faith, we do this by living our vocations fully, completely, in unity with the Magisterium of the Church, as servants to God and to each other, committed witnesses. What are we witnessing to? We are witnessing to Jesus as the baby in the manger, to Jesus as the rejected Victim, lifted high up onto his earthly throne, the cross, and to Jesus as He sits calmly on His heavenly throne as King of all that belongs to His Father.

We are an Advent people. We are called to proclaim the healing message of goodness, of joy that people yearn for, especially at Christmas. As apostles of this Returning King, we are called to live one big Advent season so that others can have hope. My friends, do you remember a time when you had lost hope? And what that felt like? Never forget how that felt because others are suffering that right now.This is why Jesus continually brings us hope.

This is why Jesus urges us again and again to accept hope and why indeed hope is such an important thing. Pope Benedict said, "It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope."

So we ask again, what does an Advent people look like? I'll tell you a story. One day, at a morning Mass, the people saw a different priest come in. He was very old. He was filling in for the parish priest and he made his way slowly and painfully to the altar, using a walker. When it was time for the homily, one would have thought he would skip it. But this priest gave a serious homily, ten minutes, but with the attitude that he had to give everything he had, because he was so old it could be the last time he preached. He urged the people to say the morning offering and he said, "Every day I do the morning offering. I do it fast, before I get out of bed, because getting out of bed is so darn painful I want to make sure I get credit for it." My friends, that elderly American priest is an Advent person.

Next I'll tell you about a young married couple. They had a habit of saying the Rosary each day and tried to do it before they went to bed. One day, the man came home very late and as he got into bed his wife said, "Did you get your Rosary said?" He said, "No. I didn't have time." She said, "Come on. I'll say it with you." So in bed, together, they prayed the Rosary. And the man never woke up. He died in his sleep. My friends, they were an Advent people.

There was a young woman. She lived a life that included a lot of attention and she was in a position of some power and esteem. She had a well developed faith life and a simple relationship with Christ. She said about herself, "Some people say I'm the greatest thing ever. Some people say I'm the worst person in the world. It was confusing for a while. But then I realised, I'm just me in the middle, and God loves me." This young woman, through the simplicity of her relationship with God, neither swelled up in pride nor descended into shame. She is an Advent person.

Yet another young woman, deeply frustrated, late and stressed, struggled to find the way to open the gas cap of a borrowed car. As she anxiously searched for the button, her frustration and aggravation bubbled over and she tearfully began to kick the car. A gas station attendant, a young man, ran out with his hands out saying, 'Whoa Lady, let me help you'. The woman, deeply grateful sat back in relief while the young man found the lever, opened the flap and filled her tank for her. She, with the greatest humility and gratitude, thanked God for the young man and allowed his kindness to act as a benediction, calming and soothing her. Both of them are Advent people.

What do they all have in common? They are all connected to God, doing His will as best they can and living their commitments with fidelity and dignity. They have hope. They recognise God and they try to live their faith. And that is what God is asking of us. In the Gospel Jesus says, "It is not those who say to me, Lord, Lord, who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father."

The question for each one of us is this: What is God's will for me. What is my commitment to God and what does remaining faithful for me, today, at this moment, look like?

We will only find those answers within. Nobody can do this hard work for us. If we do not focus on and live from the Vertical Relationship with Christ, then the plan of Christ, for us and for the world, is at risk. If we drop out of service, the world will feel it. The world will feel our absence from service in many ways, because of the ripple effect of goodness. When one action of kindness is offered, it spreads. When one person is healed, that person goes on to heal others and this is how each of us affects the whole universe when we choose love.

My friends, remember that our Catechism talks about our conscience. People make the mistake of thinking of their conscience as the place where they go to accuse themselves, where they go to be whipped by their failures. People get uncomfortable, afraid. But Christ is not the accuser. He is the consoler. When your conscience is bothering you it is really Jesus saying, 'You need help, Advent person. Come to me so that I can restore your hope, bring you into recovery and replace your wonder'. Our catechism teaches: 'Conscience is mans most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths.' (CCC 1795) A sanctuary is a safe place, the safest place. Compare your conscience to the Manger, where the innocent but all powerful infant King is waiting to comfort and protect you. My friends, having experienced purgatory with all of its truth and dignity, I am telling you today that your conscience might just be the only safe place for you while you remain alive.In this month's message, (December 2011), Jesus says, your Infant King comes to you with heavenly hope. He says, I instruct you to bring this hope to others, regardless of the circumstances around you.

So, this Advent, let us flee to the manger. The eyes of the Christ child will be looking for us, with the wisdom of all the ages. And He will give us hope.

We Are Called to Serve

We love this message about service from Jesus through Anne of Ireland in October of 2005.

Please visit our website! Our 15th anniversary 15% sale has been extended to Dec 13! Use code EXT12 at the checkout!


October 1, 2005

Jesus


"I have willed a time of great joy for My beloved apostles. Joy is something that the world wishes to take from God's children, but joy is available nonetheless. The world encourages souls to concentrate on comfort and earthly possessions. I ask you to concentrate on service. This is a marked contrast, is it not? Let me explain why concentrating on service brings you joy. If you rise each day and pledge allegiance to God, you will begin that day with more thought of serving than being served. In this way, you look at your day as an opportunity to work for heaven and to work for heaven's children, your brothers and sisters. This perspective sends you into the day as a servant. When the day presents you with the inevitable opportunities to assist or console, or simply to be tolerant of your brothers or sisters, you do not view this as a burden, or an interruption in your entertainment and comfort, but as a request made to you directly from the Throne of your God. And fulfilling a request made to you by your God brings you joy. You serve heaven and we fulfill our part of the agreement by sending you joy. If all of God's children were living this way, there would be great joy on earth and through this joy would come peace. But if even one of God's children makes the commitment to serve as a beloved apostle, there is an increase of joy and an increase in peace. This is because an apostle does not become angry when he or she is inconvenienced. That apostle responds in calm trust when the world presents them with difficulty or even pain. There is no striking out at others. There is no rebelliousness. There is peace. The world is changing and it is changing one soul at a time. Join Me now and make a commitment to peace in your world. I will send it through you, My beloved apostles."

Reflection on Genesis 3: 9-15, 20

The Book of Genesis 3:9-15, 20

After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the LORD God called to the man and asked
him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me— she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” The LORD God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.” Then the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; on your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.” The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.

You probably recognize this passage immediately because it deals with the fall from grace humankind told to convey truth, not historical facts) by which we can appreciate the relationship we have with God.  Following dealt for us.  We struggle to accept that God loves us unconditionally and desires good and prosperity for us.   Instead, we often try to go it alone and exercise constant control; in other words, we eat of the fruit of the  tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  We try to be gods. The will crush the head of the serpent, which symbolizes all those forces within us and in the world that distract us from doing God's will. When we are following the serpent, we are led to greed, selfishness, isolation, and/or to put our trust in earthly powers. When we overcome the serpent, we are led to generosity, kindness, worship of God, community, and humility in service.


Written by Rodney Bluml, Pastoral Associate/Faith Formation Director, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Marion, IA

"The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear." Isaiah 50:4-9

ByRon PalmCross is excited to start publishing portions of a weekly worship aide written by an extended member of our family, Rodney Bluml, who is the Faith Formation Director at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion, IA. Rodney gives us history and helps place the reading in the overall picture - within scripture and within our daily lives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Second Part of the book of the Prophet Isaiah 50: 4-9

The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let that man confront me. See, the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong?

This author is responsible for writing chapters 40-55 of the Book of Isaiah. He was writing in the 6th century BCE. The prophet is writing from Babylon after Cyrus of Persia had signed the edict granting the Israelites the right to return home. For some reason, which is not completely clear, Isaiah’s fellow citizens begin to treat him badly, like the prophets before him. It may be a result of his speculations that God’s apparent absence and near divorce of the people was a result of their infidelity. The people had apparently grown tired of living as second-class citizens and desired some good news instead.

This reading is often referred to as one of the Servant Songs. It recalls the hardship endured during the exile by a disciple of God. Even though it is written in the first person, the narrative could be applied to the whole nation of Israel. The behavior of the Servant’s fellow citizens indicates that they are not granting him the honor due to one of God’s prophets. The Servant believes that his words are from God, even though they have brought him ridicule and insult. Any human labeled a “cultural failure” would be driven to give up, but this Servant is convinced that God will vindicate him in the end by restoring his honor when the truth is revealed. God, not humans, is this Servant’s champion and the giver of true honor.

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, faithful Jews looked back and saw how he had fulfilled the same “suffering servant” role for Israel that Isaiah had described in this and similar passages. God triumphs over evil again in His people Israel and in His son Jesus.

~

Your PalmPilot for Prayer; Your Cell Phone to God

Not long ago, a customer called to make an order and mistakenly said she wanted a "palm pilot" instead of a PalmCross. We knew what she meant though. Mistaken or not, it's not the first time someone has referenced the PalmCross as this kind of tool. Electronic gadgets are not the only thing that can help run your life.

Another customer once stated that he kept his PalmCross in one pocket and his cell phone in the other. One was for reaching friends and family, and one was for being in touch with God above. He liked that not only was the cross there for ready use, but also that just its presence on his person was a reminder to him. It was a call to keep in mind the type of decisions he wanted to make in his life and who he wanted to be.

The PalmCross is well used for those in extremely trying times. Our PalmPilot customer was gifting the cross to a cousin who was facing cancer surgery and treatment. But for many people, their well-loved and well-prayed-with crosses are simple comfort in their daily lives.

The next time you are thinking of a gift for someone that might help get their life on track, look past the date book or the Bluetooth or the iPhone and look to the cross.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

PalmPilot Testimonial:

Dear Ron and Elaine, I am the silly person whom you spoke with last week and mistakenly referred to the “palm pilot” I hoping to order. Well, your PalmCross arrived and I am overwhelmed at how beautifully perfect it is. It has since been christened with my tears and prayers.

Our cousin will be leaving this week for the American Cancer Center out of Chicago and I can’t wait to give her this most special cross to keep with her as she faces surgery and lengthy cancer treatments.

Thank you so much for sending this to me in such a timely way. I know I will be ordering more of these, as I am able, for each member of my family and other dear friends. The work you are doing is truly amazing.

A PalmCross' Last Kiss - Most Powerful Testimonial

This is truly one of the most powerful testimonies we have received. It is utterly amazing that someone in a coma could feel the presence of the PalmCross clutched in his hands enough to bring it to his lips for a final kiss before his death.
______________________________________

I must tell you about the PalmCross that I sent to a dear friend.

Don was the best man at our wedding 60 years ago.  He lived in Virginia, and we visited with him a month before he died of cancer. After returning from our visit, I sent Don a PalmCross.  His wife called me shortly after and said how much he appreciated it. After he died, his wife called again and, in tears, said that Don died with the PalmCross in his hand.  He was in a coma but raised his hand with the cross in it, then kissed it and died.

It makes me almost cry every time I tell the story. His wife was trying to decide whether to bury him with the cross, but after much thought decided to keep for herself as a reminder of  Don and us.

Just thought that might be of interest to you. We have given several PalmCrosses to friends for various reasons, and they are always so appreciative.

~Ken