Sunday Reflections

This Sunday’s gospel is one of the most well-known biblical stories. In and of itself it is a wonderful story. It is a wedding feast, Jesus Christ is there, Mary is there and so are His disciples. Jesus would have some notoriety, given that he already has His disciples plus probably some additional followers. He performs His first miracle turning water into wine. Think of the continuing frivolity now that more wine, and great tasting wine, is now available.

But there is so much symbolism to this reading. The connection of this event to the Resurrection elevates this story to a whole new level. Interestingly the first phrase of this reading is, “On the third day.”  We all know of the far more significant event that happens on a third day, Jesus rises from the dead. And who were the first witnesses to His rising but Mary and His disciples. Even a wedding feast while celebrating the joining of two people also symbolizes the joining of God with His people through the Resurrection.

The interchange between Jesus and Mary may also symbolize who Mary is over and above the mother of the man Jesus. His reference to her as “women” and her response to the wine servers, “Do whatever He tells you”, helps in identifying her as the Mother of God, the new Eve.

How clever of God to connect this first miracle to Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice. While we can connect these two events knowing what we know, would Mary or any of His disciples, after the Resurrection, look back on the wedding feast in a new light, seeing it as a symbol of the Paschal mystery?

As St. Paul comments on spiritual gifts in his first letter to the Corinthians, can we look now on the miracle at this wedding feast as a symbol of what the Paschal mystery represents?