FIRST READING
I am the
mother of divine hope.
Before all ages, in the beginning.
God created me,
and through all ages I shall not
cease to be.
In the holy tent I ministered
before him,
and in Zion I fixed my abode.
Thus in the chosen city God has
given me rest,
in Jerusalem is my domain.
I have struck root among the
glorious people,
in the portion of the LORD, his
heritage.
Come to me, all you that yearn for
me,
and be filled with my fruits.
You will remember me as sweeter
than honey,
better to have than the honeycomb.
Whoever eats of me will hunger
still,
whoever drinks of me will thirst
for more;
whoever obeys me will not be put to
shame,
whoever serves me will never fail.
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Commentary on Sir
24:9-12,18-21
This selection is the heart of the
third part of the book of Sirach. Here it is stated that wisdom comes from God
and is granted to those who are faithful. Wisdom, in ancient texts, was
seen as analogous to a mother nurturing her children. In v. 18 of ancient
texts we hear the following: "I am the mother of fair love, of
reverence, of knowledge, and of holy hope; To all my children I give to be
everlasting: to those named by Him." [1] Those who
find wisdom thirst for more. Those who listen and take her to heart will
be held in her arms and "never fail."
CCC: Sir 24 721
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM
R. Hail, Virgin Mary, hope of God's
People.
My soul proclaims the greatness of
the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my
savior.
For he has looked upon his
handmaid's lowliness;
R. Hail, Virgin Mary, hope of God's
People.
Behold, from now on will all ages
call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great
things for me,
and holy is his name.
R. Hail, Virgin Mary, hope of God's
People.
The Lord's mercy is from age to age
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm,
dispersed the arrogant of mind and
heart.
R. Hail, Virgin Mary, hope of God's
People.
He has thrown down the rulers from
their thrones
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good
things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
R. Hail, Virgin Mary, hope of God's
People.
The Lord has helped Israel his
servant,
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our
ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants
for ever.
R. Hail, Virgin Mary, hope of God's
People.
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Commentary on Lk
1:46-47, 48-49, 50 and 53, 54-55
The responsorial is the Magnificat,
the beautiful Canticle of Mary. Her song of thanksgiving and humility captures
the saintliness that has become synonymous with our image of Mary the Mother of
God, the Queen of Heaven, and the Mother of the Church. In her dedication to
service, she offers herself to God as vessel of the Messiah. She sets the stage
for the humble birth of Jesus.
CCC: Lk 1:46-55 722, 2619, 2675; Lk 1:46-49 2097; Lk 1:48 148, 971, 2676, 2676; Lk 1:49 273, 2599, 2807, 2827; Lk 1:50 2465; Lk 1:54-55 706; Lk 1:55 422
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GOSPEL
The mother of
Jesus was at the wedding feast with him.
There was a wedding at Cana in
Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
,
Jesus and his disciples were also
invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
"They have no wine."
And Jesus said to her,
"Woman, how does your concern
affect me?
My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servers,
"Do whatever he tells
you."
Now there were six stone water jars
there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty
gallons.
Jesus told them,
"Fill the jars with
water."
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
"Draw some out now and take it
to the headwaiter."
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the
water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
(although the servers who had drawn
the water knew),
the headwaiter called the
bridegroom and said to him,
"Everyone serves good wine
first,
and then when people have drunk
freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine
until now."
Jesus did this as the beginning of
his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe
in him.
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Commentary on Jn
2:1-11
The author gives us the story of Jesus' first revelatory action following his baptism by St. John the Baptist in the Jordan. Jesus and his disciples are invited to a wedding and the wine runs out. Jesus’ mother lets her son know that the time has come for his revelation, even though Jesus does not think so. The Greek in the exchange between Jesus and his mother is ambiguous; some would interpret it, ‘What concern is that of mine or yours?’, but it is more probably to be understood as a Hebrew idiom, ‘What have I to do with you?’, that is, ‘Leave me alone, do not interfere with me’, as in Matthew 8.29, and in many passages of the Old Testament. [2]
Significantly the stone water jars were there for the ceremonial cleansing, the very Hebrew custom John the Baptist used in his call to repentance. The Hebrew custom was symbolic (as was St. John's invitation to be baptized in the Jordan); the Lord would later make baptism efficacious as sins were forgiven. We also note the Hebrew numerology applied to this scene. The number six represents one less than the perfect number seven. It was not yet Jesus’ time. The water became wine, not his blood which was yet to be poured out for the salvation of mankind.
The final statement in this story: “his disciples began to believe in him,” is the only time in the Gospel of St. John where there was any doubt about the Lord’s true identity on their part.
Significantly the stone water jars were there for the ceremonial cleansing, the very Hebrew custom John the Baptist used in his call to repentance. The Hebrew custom was symbolic (as was St. John's invitation to be baptized in the Jordan); the Lord would later make baptism efficacious as sins were forgiven. We also note the Hebrew numerology applied to this scene. The number six represents one less than the perfect number seven. It was not yet Jesus’ time. The water became wine, not his blood which was yet to be poured out for the salvation of mankind.
The final statement in this story: “his disciples began to believe in him,” is the only time in the Gospel of St. John where there was any doubt about the Lord’s true identity on their part.
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Reflection:
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| Mother of Hope by Alan Lathwell |
A favorite
passage from the Book of Wisdom is: “The
souls of the just are in the hand of God and no torment shall touch them. They
seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was
thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But
they are in peace.” (Wisdom 3:1-3)
This is the
hope for us, hope in the resurrection, hope in eternal life with our Father,
who is in Heaven. Mother Mary becomes an image of the hope we hold. Her confidence in God’s mercy and recognition
that his mercy flows through her Son, Jesus, is evident from the very beginning
of his public ministry, exemplified in the story of the wedding feast at
Cana.
It is there
we first see her expectation of God’s love poured out in the wine her son
provided. We, the children of the Church and therefore her children, accept
this hope as part of our worship. Our
confidence is bolstered by Mary’s wisdom, pointing as always to the gift she
bore for us, Christ Jesus.
Pax
*Citation in the Lectionary
is incorrect. Should include vv. 54-55.
[1] See NAB footnote on Sirach
24:18.
[2] Knox Bible footnote on Jn 2:4.
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