Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mary, source of joy and enthusiasm
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” (And) Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” 5 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee. Jn 2,1-11
The important realities in the life of each of us are very important, the ones which we have dreamed and which we would like to happily practice, as the profession, for which we have been trained for long time, or the wedding with the person whom we have chosen. By the beginning, generally, the situations are in line with the desires, sometime the desires are exceeded, but after, with the elapsing of the time, always there is something which risks to spoil the feast. The page of the today gospel specifically describes this passage: some problem takes place which causes the disappearing of the joy and of the enthusiasm for the situation which we are experiencing. In this case the profession becomes a tiring routine and the family a sequence of duties to be fulfilled. There is not anymore the “wine to gladden their hearts” (Psa 103,15). Several can be the problems which make heavy the daily life: from the family economical balances which are not satisfactory, to the sons who do not study, to the consort who does not seem the one to whom we were used since always; but for all the people there is a sure remedy: to call for the help of Mary who, as in the wedding of Cana, sees everything. Some years ago don Patrizio, during a prayer meeting held in Bergamo, made us pondering on the eyes of the Lady and on the fact that the eastern icons represent them always quite big, as big is the love which she has for us. To Mary, as to every mother, does not escape what worries her sons and she makes everything possible to help them. The life of each true Christian has to be spent with joy, with the joy of the faith, of the gratitude and of the praise versus the Lord. We have learnt to whom to address when the difficulties make us sad: to Mary, mother of God and our mother who, with her unlimited love, is capable to obtain for us not only what is necessary, but also what gladden the heart.