“SAINT MARY AND YOU: IN THE NAME OF JESUS”
Saint John 2. 1-11
The Second Sunday after the Epiphany: 17 January Anno Domini 2010
Fr Jay Watson S.S.P.
You're here on the Third Day. That is good because you need to smite your breast three times for your fault, only your fault, your most grievous fault. You repent of your sin in thought; in word; in deed.
Disabuse yourselves of your prideful boasting in pure doctrine. You may boast, like the Apostle, in the Crucifix, in the wounds of the Christ, in weakness and martyrdom, but do not revel in your exactitude and integrity. Do not be triumphalistic in your denominational heritage, for Walther, Pieper, Hoffman, Maier, Preus did not die for your sins; neither did Otten, Marquart, or Watson.
Stop diminishing the Blessed Virgin and instead see your Holy Mother for what she is: a template of all true believers; a picture of the Holy, Innocent, Virginal and Redeemed Church of the Lamb.
This is not a reading about power and majesty that Saint John gives to you this morning. This is the communion reality of the Son of God, His Holy Mother, the Mother of God, and all of His brethren, not his biological brethren, but His imputed, adopted, chosen, redeemed and sanctified brethren: the 12, the other disciples, the early followers of THE WAY, and all of you gathered here this morning by the Holy Ghost.
The Wedding in Cana pointed directly to the wedding in Shawnee on 17 January 2010. That first nuptial feast, this foretaste of the feast to come, and every Mass day, points to the consummation of Groom and Bride in Heavenly Splendor where the wine never runs out, and the table is always overflowing with grace, food, delicacies, conversations, laughter, joy, peace and love.
Stop lessening the impact of discipleship Saint Mary can have over all of us. She, like the prince of the Apostles Cephas (Petros), like the Missionary Ambassador to the Gentiles (Paulus of Tarsus), and like this morning's author himself, (Saint John the Divine; the Beloved one) is a shining example of how you interact and worship and receive your Savior.
The Church, of which you are, is also, a transpersonal reality. Though you are church here, the broad expanse of Church everywhere, i.e. Church Catholic, and Church Militant, seeks only your good and welfare. The Church as your Mother, as your big sister per Miriam/Marium/Maria/Mary want you to be nourished on the Wine from the Master's Table. Water is needed to clean you and refresh you to be sure. You had + the water of life and you have the waves of rebirth + in every Confession and Absolution and daily drowning in contrition. The Bread of Heaven is needed to satisfy, enlighten, strengthen, forgive, and preserve. You have the Bread, the Word of the Triune One, and you will have the Word; the Bread of Life in the Supper which is His true BODY. But Mary wants you, like she wanted them, to have wine, good wine, abundant wine. Wine is to make the heart glad; wine is to take off the edge of daily combat, daily wounding, and daily depression. Wine is to settle the stomach and delight the palate. Wine is to make you smile, talk freely with siblings, and laugh in the warmth of togetherness and conviviality.
When the fruit of the vine, the heavily proofed alcoholic beverage, ran out in Cana it too was a type of life. Material goods run out. Kingdom of the left gifts and benefices will dry up, go stale, wear out, become moth eaten, and be stolen or squandered. Your hair will fall out along with your teeth. Your body will sag, wrinkle, crack, break and eventually rot away. Man made things are not made to last. There is only one so-called synod still in existence today that was in existence at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. But, if you think that particular, peculiar, American church body, will exist forever, then you must repent some more. Some organizations only exist because of inertia, corruption, and institutional preservation; much like the former USSR went on for so long on life support. There are similarities. But courage to simply follow the Savior in the face of all contradictory evidence is the answer. Jesus is the Church. His Mother knew that.
"When they ran out of wine, the Mother of Jesus said to Him…" The Church will seek every solution by way of the Son. You may elect to follow conventions in assembly; for me and my house, we like Mary of Nazareth will follow the Lord.
Even if it seems like we are rebuked and put down for it.
Mary's advice to the house-servants is the Church's advice (the true Church's) to you. "Whatever He says to you, do it."
Believe and be Baptized is what the Shepherd tells you. This is no treatise on law-keeping; this is an invitation to receive gifts of grace in superabundance.
Six water pots of stone symbolize the six days of creation that, though good, are nothing but empty and dead stones without the Seventh Day of Rest and Completion in God. Jesus is your eternal Rest; your salvation Sabbath. He takes stones and raises up living stones; He takes enemies and breaths back friends and family members. He takes grave markers of stone and pulverizes them into dust so that you might live forever.
They were 30 gallon pots and water is poured into them to their brims. Your Lord at the time, about 30 years of age, indeed pours Himself into His Temple the Church; into your temples by way of the Spirit, and into your ears by preaching and your souls by feeding and watering.
Was there a miracle that day? Yes of course. God did what He is always capable of doing, turning one thing into another-any way He chooses to do.
Do you believe Jesus made water into wine at Cana? You do! Praise the Lord for Holy Ghost worked belief!
Do all denominations likewise believe in this sign? Many do while some do not. Do not show contempt and anger for your weaker brothers. Repent of your own hard stone-like hearts that has you far too quickly judging others and calling them liberal.
Can the Lord of Creation, re-creation, and eternity turn table wine into His own Precious Blood? Can He and does He do this at the Altar behind me? Yes He does and yes you believe it. Again, Hallelujah and thanks be to the Paraclete for giving you to cling to His Words of Institution.
Instead of castigating your wayward protestant brethren for their lack of believing His Last Will and Testament, pray for them, and repent of your own condescension. The Lord that changes white wine into the Blood of God also changes a sinful Augsburger, a hating greedy disagreeable and selfish blackened tare, into a living, cheerful, sharing, compassionate, forgiving green branch.
Like the Virgin, go to Jesus. Like the Virgin, you the New Testament Virgin, tell others to listen to the Son. Like Mary, pay no attention to seeming setback, insults, slights, or apparent inactivity. Like your Mother watch with the eyes of faith the transforming power of Christ's Love and Care.
He had kept the good wine just for you… just for this day…just for now…the Eucharist of the Holy Sacrament.
The continuation of the Signs Jesus does in Shawnee, of Kansas, and manifests his glory; and you disciples believe in Him.
In the Name of The + Father and of The Son and of The Holy Ghost