As a priest, there is something very beautiful that I see in the Sacrament of Matrimony. There are a lot of great things- such as the tangible nature of the love of a couple, the comradery, the companionship, the ability to comfort one another… the list really goes on. Don’t get me wrong- there are certainly challenges as well- every vocation has them- yet, there is something truly remarkable. The initial spark has to be a moment of trust! A couple does not come down the aisle and stand before this altar because they have absolute certainty. They walk down the aisle because they trust each other- to be there in good times, in bad, in sickness, in health. There is a necessary element of trust- that things will turn out- they will stay committed- even in the moments that it may not feel so good.
A life of faith is something that is very much different to our minds, as we think about it. A married relationship is tangible to a certain degree, yet, trusting in God- that is something that is altogether different, at least from our point of view. Why is it necessary and essential? What should our motivation be for making such a leap of faith? Perhaps, as we set out on this season of Ordinary Time- it is now the point at which we should look at why faith matters- and why our Lady would give that simple encouragement: “Do whatever He tells you.”
If we start at the first reading, we turn to the book of Isaiah. This excerpt is taken from very late in the book, and would be from about the time that the Israelite nation was returning from Exile. This was a moment of challenge- because as they returned, they hoped to simply spring back into what they were used to before- and yet, there is a certain slow recovery, which was not their hope. God hears and understands where the people are, and uses Isaiah to deliver this very lavish and rich type of poetry to them. We hear this very beautiful language: “For Zion’s sake, I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest… until her vindication shines out like the dawn.” Immediately, upon hearing this, you and I can likely imagine the Israelites hearing this and their hearts being filled with hope, even though they may have to wait some time. At least the Lord is working in the midst of the disappointment and frustration!
However, the imagery goes further. It isn’t just a promise that a conquering hero might deliver, but there is a more powerful force at work here- such as one should find in the bond of marriage. Isaiah goes on “For the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married- as a young man marries a young woman- so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. What all this goes to say and to indicate to us- it isn’t just as if God is simply out there as a conquering hero that is taking his time- He is operating in a love not unlike that of a young couple first setting out in their married life. So, he wants them to experience that profound joy- to see that he is with them, and dotes over them in the exact same way that a husband and wife interact with each other.
Moving to the second reading, we hear from Saint Paul and his letter to the Corinthians, and he starts off with two major themes: first, a reminder of the diversity of gifts that work in God’s church and His Kingdom. There are different gifts, different forms of service- different workings- but still- only one God. There is this sense of unity here. Further, in a second point, he lays out the diversity of gifts that may show up. Faith. Gifts of healing. Mighty deeds. Prophecy. Discernment of spirits. Varieties of tongues. Interpretation of tongues. Yet, again, he ties it back together- there is one Spirit regardless. No matter what happens and no matter who experiences these gifts, they all point back to this one person being represented in the Holy Spirit. So God interfaces with us in all sorts of different ways.
Finally, we arrive at the Gospel, and hear the story of the wedding at Cana. Cana was a little town that was not very far from Nazareth, only a few miles, and this is the place where we see the first miracle that Jesus performs. He is at a wedding party, and eventually, wine runs short, and this could have been a moment of profound embarrassment- which would have threatened to ruin that beautiful celebration for the couple. Mary anticipates the need- she wants to save them from that embarrassment, and then presents a petition before Jesus: “They have no wine.” Jesus’s response may seem a bit odd, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” It seems dismissive, but we should understand- this isn’t meant to be antagonistic, especially as our modern ears might see it.
First, it draws out the fact that Mary is the second Eve- the second iteration of “woman” in the bible- and is under new circumstances. Second, it is actually an invitation to think about the fact that Jesus is in fact concerned about this petition, as small or as insignificant as it may seem. Then, one of the most beautiful lines of this text is said by our Lady in response, to the servants: “Do whatever he tells you.” It is a simple testament of faith- our Lady knows that the Lord has always responded to her requests, and has faith that it will happen yet again. And, as we see, it does- that there is this miracle of water turning into wine- and not just any wine, but a wine of good quality- and thus, the disciples begin to believe and have faith.
Let’s go back to that statement, though: Do whatever he tells you. Have you ever reflected on what it actually takes to do this in our hearts and souls? It isn’t something we would just blindly do, but something that actually takes our faith. Marriage is much the same way, when a couple enters into that relationship, they have to believe in each other- that they will remain faithful, and that they will stay, even in the bad moments of life, and in the trials. If you look at the Wedding Feast at Cana- it is actually a reflection on the way that the Lord wants to enter into a relationship of Covenant- or a relationship of faith with us, much like a married relationship would. Think about these points:
First, God wants to enter into a loving relationship with his people. It isn’t about this control, nor even about looking like a hero for blind accolades and praise. It actually, rather, turns into a love story with all of creation. Isaiah reminds us of the nature of this relationship- that God freely approaches, and he wants to give us that feeling of that love again. This is likely very comforting to us, especially in times when we can feel exhausted, or even like our own recovery- whether from Covid or from other things- is going slowly, or even turning backwards. God still presses on in his relationship with us.
Further, even the way that Paul shows the diversity of gifts in the kingdom- think about how those all give a different sense of God’s glory. We aren’t all gifted in the same ways in God’s kingdom, and yet, He still so freely gives to us what we need to be a part of that kingdom- we are recipients in God’s own relationship.
The final point, and the one I would emphasize for this weekend: Mary’s simple petition to the servants: “Do whatever he tells you.” We can identify quite easily with those servants, and it isn’t hard to figure out how often we do. Many times in our lives, we can feel like we have run out, and that we are simply running on fumes of faith, and have nothing else. Yet, whether in a marriage, or in our faith, we have to trust- and to come forward in confidence. We have to approach the altar to be filled with wine- with the joy and with the happiness that we all seek. Yet, that takes faith, and that is the encouragement we should all enter into.
In our lives of faith, it can become quite easy to resign ourselves to simply living out life to the best of our ability- and sort of ignoring Christ’s call and petition. However, if we really think about that encouragement, we see that the wine of the Lord’s generosity is being poured out to each one of us, especially in the moments we need it most. God so loves us, and so blesses each of us with our gifts, that we should have joy! That is where our Lady gives us a simple encouragement- do whatever he tells you. Be disciples who trust in the Lord, especially in the difficult and hard moments. If we can do that, we may find that our water has indeed turned to wine- that we have moved in our lives from merely having water- to having knowledge of the Love of God and the experience that this joy brings. And so, for all of us- let us be like the servants listening to our Lady- let us truly “Do whatever he tells you.”
