Reflections from the January 17 Gospel
John 2:1-11
Jesus transformed water into the very best wine served at that wedding feast in Cana. And he can do the same with our lives. Sometimes, we come to Jesus with empty jars. We feel we have nothing to offer, that our efforts have failed. But we don’t need to work the miracle. We just need to “do whatever he tells” us. Often this may mean doing something that doesn’t make sense on the surface. The servers were probably skeptical about filling the jugs with water. But they did it anyway. In our moments of emptiness, we too need to do what Jesus asks of us. We need to pray (even when we don’t hear an answer). We need to participate in the sacraments (even when they don’t seem to help). We need to follow the commandments (even when they strike us as difficult or irrelevant). We need to love our neighbors (even when they don’t love us back). We simply need to do what Jesus asks of us and then allow him to do the rest. Only when we are willing to follow his directions can he transform our emptiness into joy.
Questions of the Week
John 2:1-11: Why do you think Jesus was reluctant to perform his first sign?
Isaiah 62:1-5: How is it that names can hold power?
1 Corinthians 12:4-11: What gift of the Holy Spirit do you think you possess?