Sunday January 16

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

1. From Water into Wine
3. A Marriage Feast

Greeting (See Second Reading)

One and the same Holy Spirit
distributes different gifts to different people
just as the Spirit chooses.
Through the Holy Spirit
may the Lord Jesus give us the gifts we need
to build up his Church.
May he always be with you. R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

1. From Water into Wine

The Lord wants to tell us today that life is a feast. A feast? With all its troubles and miseries? Yes, a feast, if we learn to look at it with eyes of faith, if we come to see what makes life beautiful. We all have our daily cares, we may have days of mourning and problems, but the deepest reality is that we are not alone, that we have God, who lets us drink the wine of his love, God who gives us Jesus to lead us to him. Let us drink the wine of joy!

2. A Marriage Feast

When two young people set out together on the adventure of married life, they affirm that they believe in each other, in love, in life, in the future. This is the message God speaks to us today. He has committed himself to us, his people, in a covenant bond of love, as lasting and as beautiful as marriage, when his Son Jesus became human. In him he has given himself to us for ever, for better and for worse, accepting that his Son laid down his life for us, so that we might live. He continues to change for us the water of the drabness and failures of our existence into plenty of wine and joy. And the best wine will be kept for the end, for eternal happiness. In this eucharist Jesus changes bread and wine for us into the food and drink of life.

Penitential Act

Where has been our joy as Christians?
Let us ask ourselves before the Lord.
                   (pause)
Lord Jesus, through your pardon
change the gloom of our sinfulness
into the joy of reconciliation and friendship:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, Lord of life,
raise us up from our sadness
and make us happy, joyful people:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, joy of our life,
teach us to find happiness in sharing
and in making other people happy:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

In your kindness, Lord,
forgive us all our sins,
make us radiate your love
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray that we may always live
in God’s covenant love
                   (pause)
Faithful and loving God,
your Son Jesus shared with ordinary people
in the joy of a marriage feast.
Set for us the table and pour for us
the delightful wine of your covenant,
bring us close to you and to one another
and warm our hearts with your own love.
Make our lives become a feast,
an unending song of joy and praise
to you, our living God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

First Reading: God Married to His People

         Even though his people have been unfaithful to him, God forgives their infidelity. For he is “married” to his people forever.

Reading 1: Is 62:1-5

For Zion's sake I will not be silent,
for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines forth like the dawn
and her victory like a burning torch.

Nations shall behold your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
you shall be called by a new name
pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.
You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,
a royal diadem held by your God.
No more shall people call you "Forsaken, "
or your land "Desolate, "
but you shall be called "My Delight, "
and your land "Espoused."
For the LORD delights in you
and makes your land his spouse.
As a young man marries a virgin,
your Builder shall marry you;
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride
so shall your God rejoice in you.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10

(3) Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth;
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He governs the peoples with equity.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Second Reading: One Spirit, Many Gifts

         One and the same Spirit gives an endless diversity of gifts to the Church to make it one in its rich variety.

Reading 2: 1 Cor 12:4-11

Brothers and sisters:
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;
there are different workings but the same God
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom;
to another, the expression 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, mighty deeds;
to another, prophecy;
to another, discernment of spirits;
to another, varieties of tongues;
to another, interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit produces all of these,
distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.

Alleluia: Cf. 2 Thes 2:14

Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called us through the Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Jesus, the Bridegroom

         Jesus “gives his first sign” that he is the bridegroom, who has united himself to people in a bond of love. He will give them the wine abounding with life and happiness.

Gospel: Jn 2:1-11

There was a wedding at 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."
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told the 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 at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.

Intercessions

         Jesus has invited us to his feast meal; he offers us the bread of strength and the best wine of himself. Let us pray to him for all those whose life has become watered down, and say: R/ Lord, hear your people.

–       Lord, pour for your Church the good wine of your pardon, because our love remains lukewarm, and we do not have enough faith in you and trust in each other; may we also wholeheartedly forgive one another, we pray you: R/ Lord, hear your people.

–       Lord, pour for our families the wine of love, that they may be faithful and committed to one another, and that their children may learn from their parents to care for people and to serve you, we pray you: R/ Lord, hear your people.

–       Lord, pour for people who suffer the wine of your strength and hope, and for those who can help them pour forth the wine of your compassion and solidarity, we pray you: R/ Lord, hear your people.

–       Lord, pour for our Christian communities the wine of unity and friendship, that we may be one in you and together become your body serving one another and the world by our spirit of sharing and caring for each other, we pray you: R/ Lord, hear your people.

–       Lord, pour for all of us here in this eucharist the wine of your joy and life and give us the bread of yourself, that we may live in you, we pray you:          R/ Lord, hear your people.

         Lord Jesus, do not allow our life to become banal and watered down. Be near to us and fill us with your joy, now and for ever. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Faithful God,
you let us experience your love
in this meal of friendship
at the table of your Son Jesus Christ.
Let him break for us the bread of life
and pour for us his wine of joy,
that we may be faithful to you
and be brothers and sisters to one another,
on account of him who shed for us
the precious wine of his blood,
Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

Let us give thanks to the Father, for he has united himself to us in an unbreakable bond of friendship and love and has made us his holy people.

Invitation to the Lord’s Prayer

Invited to the Lord’s table
and united by his Spirit,
we pray now to our loving Father: R/ Our Father...

Prayer for Peace

Lord Jesus Christ,
through your Holy Spirit
you bind together in one body
and unite in one love your holy people.
May the various gifts he pours out on us
make us build up in peace
a Church that knows how to love and serve,
until you give us the peace and joy
that last for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus our Lord,
who invites us to the feast
of his body and blood
as a pledge and token
of the everlasting marriage feast.
Happy are we to accept his invitation. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

We thank you, God our Father,
for letting Jesus speak to us in this eucharist
his words of encouragement and joy
and for pouring for us the wine
of his new and everlasting covenant.
Let our life become a feast
of forgiveness and mutual service
and of dedication to you, our living God.
May this celebration be a foretaste
of the happiness you prepare for us in your home.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Blessing

A marriage feast is always important
as a feast of love and friendship.
Today we have celebrated in this eucharist
God’s love for his people:
God is “married” to us,
Jesus is married to his Church.
God’s love is faithful.
May you always respond to his love,
with the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Let us live in unity and peace
as God’s beloved people. R/ Thanks be to God.

Commentary

Does Your God Dance?

Read:

God delights in his people as a groom delights in his bride, says Isaiah. God adorns us with various gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Jesus performs his first miracle at the wedding at Cana.

Reflect:

In Roger Young’s movie Jesus, Jesus is delightfully dancing at the wedding at Cana. Disciple Andrew is furious as he thinks that Jesus has no interest in the urgent matters of his suffering people. So Jesus asks him: “What’s the matter, Andrew? You don’t dance?” Andrew retorts: “I will dance when Israel is free and men are honest.” Jesus responds laughingly, “[It] will be a very slow dance.”  There is much suffering, poverty, and injustice in the world. Our passion to change matters overnight may lead us to a tunnel vision fixated on only the dark and the negative. Life, with all its shadow and pains, has its beauty and goodness. We shall not miss such moments as well. As Isaiah reminds us, God delights in us, despite all our shortcomings. It is good to recall this prayer attributed to St. Teresa of Avila: “From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, good Lord, deliver us.” Amen.

Pray:

“Lord, teach me to delight in the goodness of life.”

Act:

Enjoy some holy moments of laughter with your family/community today.

JANUARY 16, 2022   (Feast of the Sto. Niño)

The Lost:  Child or Parents? 

Read:

The little child, the Prince of Peace, will break the yoke of slavery and bring the light of freedom, assures Isaiah. Thanks to the loving-kindness of God, we are made children in and through the Son, sings Paul. Mary and Joseph nearly lose this Son, only to find him in the Temple.

Reflect:

In Roger Young’s movie Jesus, there is a revealing dialog between Mary and Joseph as they frantically search for their child. Deciding to go in two directions to search, Joseph tells Mary: “If you find him…” Mary cuts in with angst: “If?”Joseph corrects himself: “When you find him…” If carries with it the possibility of not finding him, whereas whenexpresses hope. When they finally find him, it is Jesus who is surprised: “Don’t you know I must be in my Father’s house?” In our journey of faith, is it Jesus who leaves us or we who drift away from him? For, he is always where he is to be found: in his Father’s House. It is only a matter of when we choose to return to be with him where he is, never to be lost again. 

Pray:

Pray for those souls who haven’t yet known Christ personally.

Act:

Visit an orphanage and assist them within your means.

Reflection taken from Bible Diary 2022;

written by Fr.Paulson Velyannoor, CMF

Coffee With God : Wedding at Cana – the Epiphany continues.