The Eucharist and the Miracle of Cana
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

John chapter 2 verse 1 to 12

Jesus is the light of the world, His absence is darkness

New Year’s Eve I had a front row seat for the fireworks display over Centennial Park. I am not a major fan of fireworks but I must admit that some of the rockets were spectacularly beautiful. One at a time, they arced high over the harbour and for just a moment, hung there as though suspended - a solid bright light with a trail of white smoke betraying its origin. And then, suddenly it exploded covering the entire area with a canopy of cascading, multi-coloured stars.

In my imagination I saw a breathtaking illustration of the universal presentation or Epiphany of the Messiah, ...the Saviour.

First in its comet-like singularity to the shepherds and the Magi, and then in its multifaceted, ever-expanding brilliance to the disciples of John and onward into the three years of public ministry, inaugurated in Cana.

In the explosion of that one highly concentrated light source, I saw the Revelation of Jesus, the Light of the World - a world, which to this day makes no sense, unless seen in that light. And this because Jesus is not simply a teacher, He is the visible expression of the essence of Goodness and of Truth and therefore of God…of the master designer and builder of the universe and the tireless mender and restorer of souls; of you and of me.

In a few moments, He will be yours to consume and incorporate into your being. The miracle of changing water into the fruit of the vine pales in comparison to the miracle of changing wine into the fruit of the cross. The first miracle was to prepare us to accept the second.

Never let it be said of us that Jesus turned the water into wine but we turned it back into water and went about our business - in the dark.

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