Jan 19th, 2025: Second Sunday of the Year C

Jan 19th, 2025: Second Sunday of the Year C

by | Jan 20, 2025 | Homilies

Second Sunday of the Year C

A wedding is highly significant in many cultures because, through this ceremony, society formally recognizes that a man and woman can begin to live together as husband and wife and start their family life.

Weddings were likely the high point of Jewish social life during Jesus’ time. They were occasions marked by abundant celebration, extravagant merriment, and lavish fun. These events were some of the few opportunities for the common working-class people to take time off to celebrate and enjoy themselves.

As a result, most Jewish weddings included five to seven days of festivities.

Wine was an integral part of this important social custom.

Therefore, when the Gospel says, “they ran short of wine,” it describes a moment of immense embarrassment for the family and a time of utter shame and humiliation for the hosts.

In this moment of crisis, Mother Mary recognized the pain of the host.

She took the initiative to do something about it, helping to prevent the great embarrassment that would have fallen upon the family.

Today’s Gospel highlights this powerful intercessory role of our Blessed Mother at the Wedding at Cana.

The statement that “they ran out of wine” not only describes the reality of what happened at Cana but also reflects our own lives—moments when the “wine runs short.”

All of us have experienced times when the “wine ran out” in our lives:

… perhaps at the death of a loved one or the loss of a friendship or disturbances in marriage,

… perhaps in the disappointing search for acceptance, care, and understanding from others,

… perhaps in a despairing hunt for meaning in life or fear of an uncertain future,

… perhaps during moments of financial hardship, social abandonment,

The list goes on—moments and situations when the “wine ran out.”

Despite all our good intentions, hard work, and efforts, we often find ourselves unable to refill the jars. Our lives seem like jars filled with water “to the brim” (cf. Jn 2:7), yet lacking the richness of wine.

We come to realize that by ourselves, we are limited, and our human efforts are insufficient.

The sooner we recognize the illusion of self-sufficiency, the more we begin to depend on God’s grace and providence.

This is where our Blessed Mother’s intercessory role becomes so significant.

She comes to the aid of human needs and brings those needs to the attention of Jesus.

She stands “between her Son and humankind in the reality of their wants, needs, and sufferings.”

At Cana, Mary does not tell Jesus what to do.

As a mother, she points out the needs of the family and the people to her Son, leaving everything to His will and decision.

She trusted that when Jesus recognized the need, He would act. All she needed to do was present their needs to Him.

Sometimes we may feel that no one notices our needs. But Jesus sees your needs and mine. He knows the right response to them. By being aware of our needs, He acts in the best way according to His wisdom.

Through Mother Mary, we can “send up our sighs, mourning, and weeping in this vale of tears,” praying to her as the most gracious advocate to “turn her eyes of mercy towards us.”

Yes, we need to entrust all our concerns and uncertainties into the hands of our Blessed Mother.

St. Martha Prayer

Your faith led Jesus to proclaim, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Your unwavering belief allowed you to see beyond His humanity when you cried out,

“Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

With firm hope, you declared, “I know that God will give you whatever you ask of Him,”

and Jesus called your brother Lazarus back from the dead.

With pure love for Jesus, you welcomed Him into your home.

Friend and servant of our Savior, I too am “troubled about many things.”

Pray for me that I may grow in faith, hope, and love,

and that Jesus, who sat at your table, will hear me and grant me

a place at the banquet of eternal life. Amen.