FIRST READING
“The bridegroom rejoices over the bride.”
A reading from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 62:1-5)
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest until her vindication goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My delight is in her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
The word of the Lord
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps. 96:1-2a,-2b-3, 7-8a.9 10a and c (R see 3)
R/. Tell among all the people the wonders of the Lord
O sing a new song to the Lord;
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.,
O sing to the Lord; bless his name. R/.
Proclaim his salvation day by day.
Tell among the nations his glory,
and his wonders among all the peoples. R/.
R/. Tell among all the people the wonders of the Lord.
Give the Lord, you families of peoples,
give the Lord glory and power;
give the Lord the glory of his name. R/.
Worship the Lord in holy splendour.
O tremble before him, all the earth.
Say to the nations, “The Lord is king.
”He will judge the peoples in fairness. R/.
SECOND READING
“One and the same Spirit who apportions to each one individually as he wills”
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
The word of the Lord
ALLELUIA Thessalonians 2:14
Alleluia. God has called us through the Gospel, to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia
GOSPEL
“This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 2 :1-11)
There was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what is that to you or to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast.” So they took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
It is only in God that we can shine out in glory. Returning from exile, the people of Israel encounter a destroyed homeland, which is very disheartening to them. So the prophet Isaiah encourages them by promising them that the Lord will restore their land to glory. Jesus begins that restoration at the wedding feast at canna. That occasion exposes the level of abuse going on within the Jewish rites at Jesus’ time. Jesus will restore them to their former glory by presenting himself as a replacement. The jars of water at the entrance to Jewish homes are meant for washing the legs (Purification Rite). By taking the jars away from what they are used for, Jesus now stands in for that service. With him, no longer do we need ordinary water to be purified, but Jesus who washes us in His precious blood (Rev 7:14)