Reflection

Jan. 16th - 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Gospel reading offers two examples of prompt obedience and Christian discipleship. The first example is Mary, the mother of Jesus. She notices the crisis about to unfold at the wedding feast. The wine has run short. To run out of wine would have brought great shame upon the family hosting the wedding feast. Mary sees the need and immediately brings the concern to the one person who can make a difference: Jesus. In her actions, Mary teaches us to go promptly to Jesus with all our needs. The second example is the servants who give full obedience to Jesus’ commands, filling the stone jars with water. Even though they do not see how jars full of water will solve the problem of the wine shortage, they trust Jesus’ words and obey him perfectly, filling the jars “to the brim.” Mary’s words, “Do whatever he tells you,” reflect her own interior disposition to do God’s will and inspire the servants to give trusting obedience to Christ. May Mary’s words encourage us to show our trust in Jesus by promptly obeying him in all things, filling our “jars” in whatever he may ask of us “to the brim.”

Through the witness of the Blessed Mother and the servants, the wedding at Cana gives the reader some insight into what a disciple of Jesus is meant to look like. How do Mary’s actions in this story provide a model for Christian discipleship?
In what one area in your life can you better follow Mary’s instruction to “do whatever he tells you”?
As Christians, we believe that each one of us has received at least one spiritual gift at the time of our Baptism and Confirmation. What gifts have you been given and how you can use those gifts for the kingdom of God.
In Jesus’ first miracle, it is striking that Mary acts as an intercessor, a role she’s known for to this day. In what ways are you seeking out the guidance and intercession of our Blessed Mother? How could you turn to her on a more regular basis?