Preparing the feast

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary are steeped in symbols, promises and gifts for transformation. The third section of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Chapters 56-66) presents the return of the exiles to Jerusalem where they find that the degradation of the Holy City in their absence is necessitating a rebuilding of both their physical surroundings and symbolically their relationship with God. This new relationship is spoken of as a marriage. God wishes to be spouse to His people. The psalmist strikes the chord of praise for the glory of God. This glory is seen in His works and is promised to the faithful like the dream of the returning exiles in the text from Isaiah. Paul addresses the Corinthians about the gifts in the community which are activated by God, through the Spirit, in the work of service of the Lord. Friar Jude Winkler comments on this early Christian Trinitarian formula in these earliest of the letters of Paul. The gifts of the Spirit are for the transformation of the community. The Gospel of John takes us to Cana where the Evangelist sets a scene with many symbolic events. Friar Jude notes that John uses titles and not names to flag a deeper symbolic presence. The Mother of Jesus at the wedding is symbolic of the Queen Mother of the kings of Israel who is preparing the wedding feast of her Son. This feast will announce the Messianic mission to glory on the Cross. The glory of God from the time of the old water of the Jewish rites of purification will be transformed to the new wine in a seventh vessel, the perfection of purification, Jesus body on the Cross. The glory seen by the psalmist becomes the glory of perfect Love proclaimed by John. Father Larry Gillick SJ sees in this Gospel account the link to our continuous recreation by God since Genesis and our invitation to be transformed into new wine living in the light of the glory of His Love.