Last week, a newly ordained priest, right from the mint (so to speak) gave the sermon at Holy Trinity. He was from Holy Trinity when Fr Edward was the assistant priest here with parish priest Fr Paul Tay. That was more than 10 years ago. Fr Michael is from the Missionary Order and after spending 10 years in the Phillipines will return to serve them.
He gave his 2nd Mass as a priest at our 11:15am Mass last Sunday (17 Jan 10). The gospel was on the wedding at Cana. He gave a very insightful sermon. When Mary asked Jesus to do something about the wine, do you realise that when Jesus changed the water into wine, it's like turning our marriage relationship with our spouse from TASTELESS water into the BEST-TASTING wine in the world!! Jesus renews and gives zest to our spousal relationship. Isn't this the ME STORY???
Another insight I have had...Jesus was working miracles during the wedding at Cana....like Jesus is VERY PRESENT at our wedding at the altar and in our current married life. Jesus was at all the sacraments of the church -- the baptism, confirmation (presentation of the Lord), wedding, priesthood (go and give the good news to the ends of the earth), death (Jesus dying at the cross), anointing of the sick (many episodes where he heals the sick and brings those who are dead back to life). Not sure if all these are the sacraments but the point is, Jesus is present at every stage of our human and church life.
Back to the Cana story, another point which I had discussed with Bert was, did you notice that the 6 jars that were filled to the brim was being served to the guests? Just like our marriage, our spousal love and Christlike example must be a light for all to see (Like in Deeper weekend...the lighthouse thingy - a bit of a spoiler for those who have yet to attend Deeper)....and yet another point....the jars of wine was finite...it WILL run dry....so will our marriage sometime hit a dry point. The important thing is, and this is the difference if we have Christ in the centre of our marriage....we must always turn to Christ (pray to Him) to fill up our empty jars again. However, we cannot be passive...we must actively participate by filling up the 6 large jars ourselves with water (whatever we have to offer) and then He can work His miracle of changing what we offer into the best-tasting wine ever. Just like the boy with 5 loaves and 2 fishes, Jesus wants us to actively offer whatever we have to Him before He does His miracle. Just like He wants us to pray and "ask and you shall receive, knock and the door shall be opened to you)...it is us who need prayers, not the Lord. But in praying and offering ourselves, we become better people and instruments through which God can use to reach out and to touch others.
I don't know about you, but I just realised how rich the gospel of the Wedding at Cana is. I am glad the wedding couple knew Mother Mary and invited her whole family to the wedding, for indeed they are blessed. This is truly the ME story imbedded in the Bible of the Church.
Love Theresa
No comments:
Post a Comment