The first passage of the Bible that I ever read was the Gospel from todays Mass. I was in grade four at the time and I found myself absolutely captivated by the fact that Jesus changed water into wine. Well many years have passed since then and I can honestly say that I am still intrigued by this miracle. My understanding of this miracle and the story as a whole has changed much over the years as a result of prayer, reflection and study. I want to share with you what I have learned about this piece of Scripture because I believe that it sheds a lot of light on the mystery of Gods love, our participation in it and our call to make it known.
The central point of todays gospel is no doubt the miracle of water being changed into wine, but I want to point out that it was not by coincidence that Jesus performed this first miracle in the context of a wedding and here's the reason why. Throughout the whole of the Old Testament and especially within the prophetic books?such as Isaiah God is shown as a bridegroom seeking a bride, namely Israel. When the Bible speaks about God in terms of relationships; he is always referred to in the masculine and Israel in the feminine. This same theme of bridegroom and bride is carried over into the New Testament between Christ and his Church.
Given the reality that God has chosen to communicate the mystery of his love in terms of the bridegroom and bride analogy it is to be understood that marriage is a call to reflect that love in the world. Marriage is an exalted vocation to which God calls certain people, a vocation which requires much discernment and commitment. It is not to be entered into lightly or carelessly as Hollywood so often does which causes it to appear as cheap merchandise; disposable at one's discretion.
Marriage is a covenant, a life long commitment between a man and a woman. It is a reflection of the covenant entered into by God in the Old Testament with the Jewish people and in the New Testament with us the Church. The outward sign of the covenant made with the Jewish people was circumcision. The outward sign of God's covenant with us the Church is the Eucharist. When a couple are married they enter into a one-flesh union. The Christian enters into the same marital one flesh union with Christ by being nourished at the table of the Lord with the Eucharist which is symbolized by the changing of water into wine. Marriage and the Eucharist are so intimately connected that any marriage without frequently making recourse to the Eucharist are going to lag behind in its ability to proclaim the power of divine love. The marriage that opens its doors to divine love transcends itself.
Marriage is supposed to be an extension of the Mass. The heart of the Mass is the
Sacrifice of Christ present in the Eucharist. So ultimately we should not be surprised to discover that married life is a life of sacrifice. The deep mysterious love at work in the Holy Mass is one which is branded with the sacrifice and pain of Jesus Christ. It wasn't the nails that held Jesus to the Cross, it was His love. Sacrifice is not foreign to married life, nor is it foreign to any love known to mankind. Why, because Jesus Christ has deemed it useful and proper for illustrating the depth and height, length and breadth of His love. As each spouse learns to die to self through sacrifice the other spouse experiences new life just as Christ's death has brought new life to his bride, the Church.
Marriage is a calling from God to represent in this world the mystery of Christ's sacrificial love for His Church, and the response that His Church is to give in return. Just as humankind, as male and female, becomes one flesh through the joining of their bodies, so too, does Christ and his Bride become one flesh through the joining of their bodies in the Eucharist which makes them what they receive, namely one Flesh. Their coming together in lovemaking is to be a constant reminder of their exalted calling. It is also a reminder of the Covenant that they have entered into with Christ in the Eucharist. It is no mistake that God in his great wisdom has bound together the images and theology of the Eucharist with the beauty, excitement, ecstasy and rapture of the one flesh union that occurs between male and female.
Without Jesus in a married couples life the wine is bound to run out. The presence of Christ in the Eucharist keeps the blood flowing in the heart of any marriage. The Eucharist is the compass that will guide a couple to realize the love in each other. Water may sustain life, but wine adds flavor to it. Jesus is the bridegroom who has kept the good wine until now. Just as Jesus changed ordinary water into flavor filled wine so too does he desire to change ordinary marriages into ones that both reflect and reveal his glory. Do you find the wine to be lacking in the celebration of your marriage, if so, hearken to the words of Mary and do whatever Christ tells you? and what is it that Christ tells us to do: He tells us to love one another as he has loved us. Love is the most important ingredient in any good marriage.
Throughout this upcoming week let us take the time to reflect upon what love really is: Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
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