Changing Water into Wine January 17, 2010

My Dear People,

The Gospel of Luke will be the Gospel we read on Sundays during the coming year. But, before we get into Luke, we have a slight diversion into the beautiful story of the wedding feast of Cana. Today’s Gospel ends with the saying that Jesus revealed his glory and his disciples came to believe in him.

Ask yourself, how does changing water into wine reveal the Glory of Jesus?  I can think of many more spectacular things.

I know I’ve shared this story before but one of the legends of St. Bridget of Ireland is that she had a cask of beer from which she supplied all the churches in the county with beer for a full year.  I’ve also heard that her idea of heaven was a gigantic lake of beer.

I don’t know if those legends are true but they are certainly Catholic and definitely biblical. God’s presence is always described in wildly sensual terms: a rich banquet, choice wines, a feast for all peoples, the eyes of the blind being opened, the ears of the deaf hearing, the lame walking, what is crooked made straight.

Sometimes we wonder where God is and we need look no further than what is before our eyes.  Taste and see that God is good. Taste the world around you.  Taste life.  Enjoy each little thing you see. The world is here for us to enjoy and to care for. 

One of my favorite writers, Wendell Berry, has a poem in which he says if we want real wisdom, we would go back to the smallness of a garden growing and learn the mystery of how holy and sacred this space is from the plants and animals. 

Love,

Fr. Larry