Cycle C – Pentecoste
FIRST READING: Acts 2: 1-11. When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
SECOND READING: 1 Cor. 12:2-7; 12-13. No one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God inspires them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. But just as, the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
GOSPEL: John 14:23-26. Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
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What is this ‘Spirit’ which we call holy and a person? In Acts it is called “like the rush of a mighty wind”, “tongues as of fire”, and “a sound”. In the gospel Jesus calls it “the Advocate”. It appears that we are lost for a precise word which might explain exactly what the Holy Spirit is. Maybe it is a force. Maybe energy. Maybe strength. Maybe power. Perhaps all of these and more besides. The Holy Spirit is the life of God in living beings. It is that which forms the Church of God, that is God’s universal community of people embracing Jesus’ values.
Paul insists that the gifts of this Spirit are not for one’s own personal use: they are always communitarian. A Christian spirituality which is not social, and perhaps even political, is not genuine. The Spirit bestowed is always for service and kinship.
Jesus points out two main functions of the Spirit: to teach and to remind; teach and remind the instructions and education of Jesus, and remind of his values.
Showing posts with label 1 Corinthians 12. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1 Corinthians 12. Show all posts
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Shunning compliance
Cycle C - Ordinary Time 4
FIRST READING: Jeremiah 1: 4-5; 17-19. The word of the Lord came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. “Gird up your loins; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.”
SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 12: 31; 13: 1-13. Earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind, love is not jealous or boastful, it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
GOSPEL: Luke 4:21-30. Jesus began to say to all in the synagogue, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself; what we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here also in your own country.’” And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and put him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. But passing through the midst of them he went away.
The normal and accepted way of doing things, of running the country, of conducting business, left the prophet Jeremiah deeply disgusted. He clearly saw that they were miles away from what, according to his convictions, he considered just and tolerable. Yet, in his opposition to them he knew that he was outnumbered, vulnerable and mostly ineffectual. This even scared him, as the first reading attests, a reading from just before the Babylonian exile. Nevertheless, Jeremiah battled on, secure in his faith and in his determination to do what is right. He refused to comply; he repudiated being counted with the unjust.
Paul gives a name to such a refusal and repudiation. He calls it love. It is, he declares, ‘the most excellent way’. The love he speaks about in his amazing hymn is not the romantic, sentimental type which we hear about in songs, fake spiritualities or passionate avowals. It is a profound commitment towards justice, in the full social and political sense of the word. It is a faithfulness towards what is genuine, integral and decent. It is a bid to shun compliance, and stand, alone if need be, for what is right.
Jesus had not been afraid to do so. Or, if he was, he did not allow fear to paralyse his love. He did not allow himself to be intimidated. The people at the synagogue thought that he is one of them, one with their falsity, one with their injustice. But Jesus makes it clear, despite the danger of retaliation, that he refuses to be part of the herd, and never will be. Compliance is not his piece of cake.
FIRST READING: Jeremiah 1: 4-5; 17-19. The word of the Lord came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. “Gird up your loins; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.”
SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 12: 31; 13: 1-13. Earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind, love is not jealous or boastful, it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
GOSPEL: Luke 4:21-30. Jesus began to say to all in the synagogue, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself; what we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here also in your own country.’” And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and put him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. But passing through the midst of them he went away.
____________________
The normal and accepted way of doing things, of running the country, of conducting business, left the prophet Jeremiah deeply disgusted. He clearly saw that they were miles away from what, according to his convictions, he considered just and tolerable. Yet, in his opposition to them he knew that he was outnumbered, vulnerable and mostly ineffectual. This even scared him, as the first reading attests, a reading from just before the Babylonian exile. Nevertheless, Jeremiah battled on, secure in his faith and in his determination to do what is right. He refused to comply; he repudiated being counted with the unjust.
Paul gives a name to such a refusal and repudiation. He calls it love. It is, he declares, ‘the most excellent way’. The love he speaks about in his amazing hymn is not the romantic, sentimental type which we hear about in songs, fake spiritualities or passionate avowals. It is a profound commitment towards justice, in the full social and political sense of the word. It is a faithfulness towards what is genuine, integral and decent. It is a bid to shun compliance, and stand, alone if need be, for what is right.
Jesus had not been afraid to do so. Or, if he was, he did not allow fear to paralyse his love. He did not allow himself to be intimidated. The people at the synagogue thought that he is one of them, one with their falsity, one with their injustice. But Jesus makes it clear, despite the danger of retaliation, that he refuses to be part of the herd, and never will be. Compliance is not his piece of cake.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Equality, freedom and respect
Cycle C - Ordinary Time 3
FIRST READING: Nehemiah 8: 2-4; 5-6; 8-10. Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seven month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden pulpit which they had made for the purpose. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; for he was above all the people; and when he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God; and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands; and they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. And the Levites read from the book, from the law of God, clearly; and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 12:12-30. Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many, if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part to the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single organ, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so adjusted the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the Church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
GOSPEL: Luke 1: 1-4; 4: 14-21. Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed. Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogue, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
When the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile in 538 BCE, one of the first acts was to reconstruct or restore the political system which had been initiated by Moses seven centuries previously. As the first reading narrates, this was done by renewing the Covenant which had been made between God and the people on Mount Sinai. This was basically a covenant of love, which, in political terms, intended to engender a profound sense of equality, freedom and respect of each individual. By time, however, this ‘Law of Moses’ became more and more understood and perceived in mere juridical terms, and, what’s worse, in terms of power, especially by churchmen (represented in today’s text by Ezra) and politicians (represented by Nehemiah).
To steer clear of such a dangerous and destructive interpretation, alongside the first reading we have Paul’s words to the Corinthians. In a stroke of genius, Paul evokes the image of the human body to explain in simple words the fundamental principles of a political system that upholds equality, freedom and respect of each individual. Paul was quite aware that most social, political and economic systems do not come close to such an image. Nevertheless, it is this model which he maintains to be according to God’s plan and will.
An important part of Jesus’ mission was to summon humankind to this model. For this reason, Luke presents the inaugural moment of Jesus’ undertaking by having him assume as his own Isaiah’s amazing words of liberation. While explicitly announcing his ‘good news to the poor’, Jesus implicitly denounces all social, political and economic systems which violate equality, freedom and respect of each individual.
FIRST READING: Nehemiah 8: 2-4; 5-6; 8-10. Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seven month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden pulpit which they had made for the purpose. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; for he was above all the people; and when he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God; and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands; and they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. And the Levites read from the book, from the law of God, clearly; and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 12:12-30. Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many, if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part to the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single organ, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so adjusted the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the Church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
GOSPEL: Luke 1: 1-4; 4: 14-21. Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed. Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogue, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
____________________
When the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile in 538 BCE, one of the first acts was to reconstruct or restore the political system which had been initiated by Moses seven centuries previously. As the first reading narrates, this was done by renewing the Covenant which had been made between God and the people on Mount Sinai. This was basically a covenant of love, which, in political terms, intended to engender a profound sense of equality, freedom and respect of each individual. By time, however, this ‘Law of Moses’ became more and more understood and perceived in mere juridical terms, and, what’s worse, in terms of power, especially by churchmen (represented in today’s text by Ezra) and politicians (represented by Nehemiah).
To steer clear of such a dangerous and destructive interpretation, alongside the first reading we have Paul’s words to the Corinthians. In a stroke of genius, Paul evokes the image of the human body to explain in simple words the fundamental principles of a political system that upholds equality, freedom and respect of each individual. Paul was quite aware that most social, political and economic systems do not come close to such an image. Nevertheless, it is this model which he maintains to be according to God’s plan and will.
An important part of Jesus’ mission was to summon humankind to this model. For this reason, Luke presents the inaugural moment of Jesus’ undertaking by having him assume as his own Isaiah’s amazing words of liberation. While explicitly announcing his ‘good news to the poor’, Jesus implicitly denounces all social, political and economic systems which violate equality, freedom and respect of each individual.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
The restoration of happiness
Year C - Ordinary Time 2
FIRST RFADING: Isaiah 62: 1-5. (rsv) For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My delight is in her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
SECOND READING: 1 Cor. 12:4-11. There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
GOSPEL: John 2:1-12. There was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast.” So they took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples; and there they stayed for a few days.
When the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile (538 BCE) they found Jerusalem (Zion) in ruins. This dismal historical context of the first reading is taken by whoever wrote this part of the Book of Isaiah (often called ‘Second-’ or ‘Third-Isaiah’) as symptomatic of the destruction which money-powered politics and unethical economics wield. ‘Forsaken’ and ‘Desolate’ were Old Testament names given to a woman abandoned by her husband (1 Kg. 22: 42; 2 Kg. 21: 1). They are used here to refer to a people which has become a victim of greed, impiety and violence. Inequality, intolerance, disrespect, dominance, and the like, destroy any covenant of communal love which, according to God’s dream, should exist if things were governed justly.
Such communality can only be established by the principles of fraternity, equality and freedom, as Paul proclaims to the Christians of Corinth. This was a prosperous Roman colony where Paul lived and preached between 50 and 52 CE before moving on to Ephesus. Paul provides sound theological reasons for a political and economic system which engenders justice and peace, a system which retains and enhances the beauty of individual lives and happy social living.
John expresses the restoration by Jesus of such beauty and happiness through the story of a marriage feast. Despite the long and meticulous preparation that must have gone into it, this feast was practically ruined. Wine here represents all that spoils the happiness and beauty of our lives, just as Jesus represents, personally and spiritually, all the values which he preached and practiced. Unhappiness and ugliness are incompatible with Christian values. These values restore life to the form intended by God.
FIRST RFADING: Isaiah 62: 1-5. (rsv) For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My delight is in her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
SECOND READING: 1 Cor. 12:4-11. There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
GOSPEL: John 2:1-12. There was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast.” So they took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples; and there they stayed for a few days.
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When the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile (538 BCE) they found Jerusalem (Zion) in ruins. This dismal historical context of the first reading is taken by whoever wrote this part of the Book of Isaiah (often called ‘Second-’ or ‘Third-Isaiah’) as symptomatic of the destruction which money-powered politics and unethical economics wield. ‘Forsaken’ and ‘Desolate’ were Old Testament names given to a woman abandoned by her husband (1 Kg. 22: 42; 2 Kg. 21: 1). They are used here to refer to a people which has become a victim of greed, impiety and violence. Inequality, intolerance, disrespect, dominance, and the like, destroy any covenant of communal love which, according to God’s dream, should exist if things were governed justly.
Such communality can only be established by the principles of fraternity, equality and freedom, as Paul proclaims to the Christians of Corinth. This was a prosperous Roman colony where Paul lived and preached between 50 and 52 CE before moving on to Ephesus. Paul provides sound theological reasons for a political and economic system which engenders justice and peace, a system which retains and enhances the beauty of individual lives and happy social living.
John expresses the restoration by Jesus of such beauty and happiness through the story of a marriage feast. Despite the long and meticulous preparation that must have gone into it, this feast was practically ruined. Wine here represents all that spoils the happiness and beauty of our lives, just as Jesus represents, personally and spiritually, all the values which he preached and practiced. Unhappiness and ugliness are incompatible with Christian values. These values restore life to the form intended by God.
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