Sunday, January 16th 2022 | By Rev. Michael P. Hanifin
We have returned to Ordinary Time in the Liturgy Calendar and one noticeable change is that the vestment color the priests and deacons wear is now green. On the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Gospel reading is from the Gospel according to Saint John. This familiar story of the wedding feast at Cana recounts Jesus launching His public ministry by performing His first miracle at his mother’s request.
During the Wedding feast, the Blessed Mother noticed that the wine had run out and pointed out the problem to Jesus. Then, she gave the servants instructions that are equally applicable to us modern-day followers and disciples of Jesus, saying, “Do whatever He tells you.” Jesus gave the servants a simple and seemingly mundane task, telling them to fill some large stone jars with water – holding between 20 to 30 gallons. They did what He told them to do. And Jesus used their obedience in the accomplishment of that simple task to perform His first miracle, turning the water into the choicest wine.
Our Lord didn’t have to include those servants to perform this miracle — He chose to. And today, 2,000 plus years later, He still chooses to include us in the performance of His miracles through our cooperation with Him in using the gifts and talents He has generously bestowed on us. What a privilege! Let us take care to listen to our Blessed Mother: let’s examine our lives this week to see if we really are “doing whatever Jesus tells us,” cooperating with God to make the best use of the gifts He has given us for the benefit of those around us. If we all take this call seriously, He will perform miracles in our families and our Saint Joachim parish community.
Let us take care to listen to our Blessed Mother. Let us examine our lives this week to see if we really are doing whatever He tells us and cooperating with God to make the best use of the gifts He has given us for the benefit of those around us. If we all take this call seriously, He will perform miracles in our families and our parish.