The Marriage Feast of Cana (2:1-11) (Part 2)

Posted on April 18th 2010 in St. John's Gospel

The miracle at Cana becomes the first sign that the hour of Jesus is now beginning. The ‘hour’ is a concept that runs throughout St John’s Gospel. The ‘hour’ is the human history of the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. At the Washing of the Feet, Jesus exclaims that both the hour has come, and that everything had been given to Him by the Father. The hour is completed on the Cross as this becomes the means of His glorification.

The work of Jesus Christ is also now being completed because He had established His community, the nascent Church. The disciples first become a coherent group at the Marriage Feast of Cana, since the Evangelist explains that Jesus came with the disciples. The miracle of changing the water into fine wine is undertaken within the orbit of the ‘Church’. The calling of the disciples in the first days of the First Week of Jesus’ public life, the subject of the previous chapter of the Gospel, leads to their remaining with Him. The difficult conclusion for the modern world is that one cannot believe in Jesus Christ unless one is incorporated, through baptism into the Church. The content of the disciples’ and the Church’s faith is not an abstract idea about God, but the person of Jesus Christ. St John explains that Jesus ‘let His glory be seen’ (2:12). The necessity of the sacrament of Baptism and its connection with faith in Jesus Christ will be explained in the next Chapter when Nicodemus comes by night to visit Jesus.

The context of a wedding feast for this miracle reflects the traditional Old Testament symbol of the relationship between God and the Chosen People. The Prophets, especially Isaiah and Hosea, develop this image. They condemn the worshipping of false gods as akin to infidelity with respect to the covenant, the marriage between God and His chosen people. Jesus gives reality in Himself to the symbol, so the fine wine is given on the eighth day, the day symbolic of the new creation.

The forces of nature may be stupendous but only the Resurrection will transform the world

Posted on April 18th 2010 in Weekly messages

The sudden cancellation last week of all flights to and from Great Britain, and parts of mainland Europe must have come as a nasty and unwelcome surprise. The default position of most of our contemporaries is that science and technology, at least in the Western world, have conquered the unpredictable actions of nature. Yes there are those who hope that this freak of nature might indeed be described as an ‘act of God’ since the small print of many insurance policies claim that such acts nullify any serious claim. This term intends much more than the acceptance of God as creator, since through every moment of creation from the beginning to the end, God sits at its centre as the first cause.

What gives pause for thought is the power of nature in relation to that of man. This takes us back to the ancient world where these powers were given due respect, though of course there is no need to give them divine powers and personalities as such. The Christian is able to demythologise nature while at the same time recognising God as the ultimate cause of all that exists. The advance of scientific knowledge has greatly benefited from this Christian understanding of reality. This runs counter to the perception that God’s existence and science do not mix, while at the same time recognising the need to claim ‘divine intervention’ in order to assist in the regulation of the financial world.

The hidden powers of nature contrast with that of Jesus exhibited in today’s Gospel. The risen Jesus reveals Himself discreetly at a moment when the apostles least expect. The Resurrection and subsequent appearance of Jesus had left  them in a strange state of seeming confusion and paralysis, unsure of what had happened. They did not know what to do and so returned to their previous occupation for lack of an alternative. The risen Jesus joins them. He guides their actions and, in the midst of their labour and its incredible reward of a surfeit of fish, the Beloved disciple recognises Jesus and Peter immediately wades ashore. Jesus has assisted them to undertake something that through their own efforts had proved unsuccessful.

This subtle divine assistance in the daily tasks of life is the hidden power of the risen Jesus. Everything remains the same after Easter, but at its heart all has changed. There is a subtle exchange here that has profound Eucharistic overtones. Jesus has prepared them a meal, the bread and the fish on the fire symbolising the life giving effect of His sacrifice on the Cross. Jesus invites them to add their own albeit divinely assisted contribution of fish. Jesus has risen from the dead, and conquered the forces of evil but, as the resurrection cannot be imposed, so the apostles are graciously invited to share this life. The donation of the fish is symbolic of the Offertory at Mass whereby we bring gifts of bread and wine to the altar, which are themselves a combination of divine care for humanity and human effort.

This meal by the lakeshore gives the parameters of divine love, because only now can Jesus have that conversation which will make Peter the active leader of the Apostles. The thrice repeated question, ‘Do you love me’ leaves Peter perplexed and hurt, but his answer exhibits a revolution in understanding. Before the Passion it was all about him, as Peter says so confidently, ‘Even if these deny you, I will not deny you’. Now the focus has changed, ‘Lord you know that I love you’. The love of Jesus is the foundation not human self-assertion. Jesus’ subsequent reply, ‘Feed my sheep’, shows the divine call is now possible. There has been a revolution in understanding. Whenever we might be tempted to use the expression, ‘I am a good Catholic’, that is the time to remember that we need to undergo this love revolution too.

The Marriage Feast of Cana (2:1-11) (Part 1)

Posted on April 4th 2010 in St. John's Gospel

The miracle at the Wedding Feast forms the first turning point in the Gospel. The disciples have now been gathered together and the outcome of the miracle, called the first sign, of changing the water into wine will lead them to believe in Him. The miracle undertaken on the seventh day, will anticipate the new creation of the Cross and Resurrection. The sign is a messianic anticipation of the events of Easter which will complete the cycle of re-creation. The following section of the Gospel (2:1-4:54) will show how Jesus will replace Jewish institutions and identify different responses to the new situation established by Jesus Christ.

The account of the Marriage Feast has a tripartite structure. The first section (vv1-3) explains the factual situation; the wedding guests have run out of wine. This is followed by dialogue (vv4-8), first, between Jesus and his mother, and then between Jesus and the servants. These conversations lead to a deepening understanding as to the identity of Jesus. The last narrative section speaks (vv9-12) of the wine and the wedding at the deepest level.

The historical facts presented by St John find their true meaning only at the end with Jesus as the intended bridegroom. The ‘real’ historical bridegroom plays a necessary part in allowing Jesus and His disciples to attend where His mother was already present. The lack of wine provides the opportunity for the Mother of Jesus to tell Her Son that ‘they have no wine’. His answer on any normal level would seem to be profoundly perplexing, ‘Woman, why turn to me? My hour has not come yet’. This reply only makes sense in terms of the Messianic role of Jesus. The wine of the old relationship between God and His chosen people is now finishing. The abundant wine will identify His Messiahship, and so the nature of His mother’s role will also change. This will no longer be restricted within the context of His human family. The Virgin Mary, as the perfect embodiment of the Jewish faith (Daughter of Zion), will now become the mother of the Church, the mother of all those who believe in Jesus. (Do whatever He tells you). (To be continued)