Jan 14, 2013
Isaiah 62:1-5
Psalm 96:1-3, 7-10
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
John 2:1-12 (see also "’On the Hour’”)
Think of these first weeks after Christmas as
a season of "epiphanies." The Liturgy is showing us Who Jesus is
and what He has revealed about our relationship with God.
Last week and the week before, the imagery was royal and filial -
Jesus is the newborn king of the Jews who makes us co-heirs of
Israel's promise, beloved children of God. Last week in the Liturgy
we went to a Baptism.
This week we're at a wedding.
We're being shown another dimension of our relationship with God.
If we're sons and daughters of God, it's because we've married into
the family.
Have you ever wondered why the Bible begins and ends with a wedding
- Adam and Eve's in the garden and the marriage supper of the Lamb
(compare
Genesis 2:23-24 and
Revelation 19:9;
21:9;
22:17)?
Throughout the Bible, marriage is the symbol of the covenant
relationship God desires with His chosen people. He is the Groom,
humanity His beloved and sought-after bride. We see this reflected
beautifully in today's First Reading.
When Israel breaks the covenant she is compared to an unfaithful
spouse (see
Jeremiah 2:20-36;
3:1-13). But God promises to take her back, to "espouse"
her to Him forever in an everlasting covenant (see Hosea
2:18-22).
That's why in today's Gospel, Jesus performs His first public
"sign" at a wedding feast.
Jesus is the divine Bridegroom (see John
3:29), calling us to His royal wedding feast (see
Matthew
22:1-14). By His New Covenant, He will become "one
flesh" with all humanity in the Church (see
Ephesians 5:21-33). By our Baptism, each of us has been
betrothed to Christ as a bride to a Husband (see
2 Corinthians 11:2).
The new wine that Jesus pours out at today's feast is the gift of
the Holy Spirit given to His bride and body, as today's Epistle
says. This is the "salvation" announced to the "families of
nations" in today's Psalm.