The text below is the transcription of the video commentary by Fr Fernando Armellini

A good Sunday to all.
The one who reads the narration of the wedding of Cana has the impression of being in front of a very simple episode, although perhaps a little strange and even embarrassing for a believer. It is surprising, first of all, the importance that John gives to this episode. It places it, practically, at the beginning of his gospel, as the first of the seven signs that are narrated in the Gospel of John. Then, the episode concludes with a solemn affirmation: “Jesus manifested his glory and the disciples believed in him.” Why add this for something little? This statement would be understandable if it had been placed, for example, after the resuscitation of Lazarus. There Jesus truly manifested his glory overcoming death. But here this manifestation of the glory of Jesus and the adherence that his disciples give him seems a bit excessive for just changing water into wine. Then, considering the episode itself, we are a little puzzled. The guests at the wedding of Cana had already drunk a lot, to the point that they had finished the wine. Some explanation that is given and that provokes a bit of laughter—and even today some are still saying it— they say that the wine was finished because Jesus was the only one invited but he came with his 12 disciples. These were working people, big people... they had made a long trip... and when they arrived, quickly finished the wine. These are explanations that—as I said—arouse smiles. It is not understood how Jesus, instead of giving any comment, made available another 600 liters of wine. This was the capacity of these six stone jars. In addition, although it would have been opportune to give more wine for the feast, was it necessary to resort to a miracle? It would have been enough to make a collection among all the guests to buy some wine. It would seem better to us that Jesus had reserved his ability to do miracles for something more useful and more urgent. In the past, many tried to explain this event by saying that Jesus had no intention of doing a miracle because the time had not yet come, but because of the insistence of the mother, Jesus wanted to please her, although reluctantly. And, for her part, the mother wanted to avoid an embarrassing situation for the family of the two spouses... because they were poor. Do not pay attention to these explanations.

And I immediately add, it is not likely that it was a poor family, because in the narrative it is said that they had servants; then, the presence of six stone jars indicates that the family was well off; only the rich Jews could afford to have the jars so big for purifications. The above explanations do not help us to understand the narrative, but rather create more difficulties and more problems. We also ask ourselves: Why does Jesus mention the 'mother' and he does not say 'Mary'? Then, also, why does Jesus respond in that way to the mother, calling her 'woman'? There is no example in all the immense rabbinical literature of a son speaking in that way to his mother. If this episode is interpreted as chronicle, in the best of hypotheses, this narration will continue to provoke some benevolent smiles. The only message that came out of this episode in the past was the recommendation of confidently turning on to Mary, for she was capable even of making her son give in to please her orders. For a long time Christians have begun to realize about the theological-biblical gap that accompanied this way of interpreting the Gospel, as if it were a life of Jesus and a form of Marian devotion. The narration is not as simple as it seems. It is not a chronicle story but a 'sign.' The first of the signs that the evangelist presents with a language and with biblical images that must be decoded, otherwise, the message that the evangelist wants to give us is not understood. We are going to try to go in depth; we will not stay on the surface of this story. Let's hear how it starts: 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." If we stick to this story as if it were a chronicle, we will be confused. Already the peasants of Algeria, in the days of St. Augustine, said: 'Here we are at the level of Bacchus! We will not stop at the surface of this story because the evangelist invites us to go deep into grasping the meaning of the biblical images, of the biblical language that he employs. The first of these is the earthly wedding feast. We are presented with a wedding that is a bit strange, because if we look around, the first surprise is that the bride and the groom are not presented. The bride do not exist, and the groom has an insignificant role. He does not say a word; only the one in charge of the table who complains to him because he has not immediately offered quality wine. For what reason it did not say. Presenting this fact is, in a way, presenting the very simple reason that the evangelist is talking about ‘another marriage’. It is the wedding feast announced by the Baptist when he said, “I am the friend of the groom but not the groom. I exult him with joy because I hear the voice of the bridegroom who is coming.” And the groom was Jesus of Nazareth. Observe in the background painting how, with the symbolism of color, the oriental icons have understood the message of this passage of John. It is easy to understand who the bridegroom is: the colors of his clothes indicate it clearly: underneath there is a red tunic. The color red indicates the divine nature. And on top of it is the blue cloak, the symbol human nature has assumed. And Jesus is the bridegroom and the bride whom he came for is humanity. Because of this humanity God is in love. He came into the world just to start this wedding feast which the Old Testament spoke about. Marriage in the Bible is an image, a splendid parable of God's love with Israel.

I will read you some texts of the very famous and beautiful texts of the prophets, because the God of Israel did not want to relate to his people as a master who gives orders and then pays at the end of the day. NO. God wanted to present himself as the groom who is madly in love with Israel, the bride. Hosea 2:18.21-22: "God says: on that day you will call me ‘my husband’... you will no longer call me ‘my master’ I will marry you to me forever, I will marry you in fidelity, and you will acknowledge the Lord.” Isaiah 62:5: "As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” The glory of God is to see the wife happy. Jeremiah 2:2: “I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown Israel was holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his harvest.” Again, Isaiah 54:10: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” God is a spouse who never betrays the bride even if the bride abandons him He comes to take her back because he cannot do without this love. He has been passionately in love with Israel. The bride represents the whole humanity of which God is hopelessly in love. But we ask ourselves, was the relationship between God and Israel really a wedding feast? The answer is NO. Because Israel had established a relationship with God as that of the worker, the dependent who had to report to work on time. It is enough to remember, for example, how the first sacrifice in the temple had to be done at the exact time, otherwise it was not valid because this sacrifice had to be offered to the Lord at the appointed time. It was a commercial relationship. The pious Israelite approached the temple to offer sacrifices in this way the favors of the Lord were earned. He observed the commandments and precepts and thus the benevolence of the Lord were guaranteed who would have blessed the family and children with good health, of fertile fields and animals. The Lord was considered a legislator. He is also a strict and demanding legislator prone to punishing those who transgressed his hatred. If you read chapter 27 of Deuteronomy, you will see that there are 52 curses for those who disobey the Lord's commands. It is clear that in this situation this form of relationship with God was necessary to carry out purifications because they did not feel worthy. It became the religion of purifications. Note the importance of these six jars of stone in this narrative. The number 6 indicates the imperfection, which is achieved only by reaching number 7. They are made of stone: the law of stone, written on stone. They are empty: they lost their function. This religion of duty, of service waiting to be paid according to the merits and, therefore, always feel debtors in some way ... can this religion give joy? The answer is NO. It creates only craving, apprehension, restlessness. You had to observe 613 commandments. It was difficult to fulfill them all and, therefore, impossible to feel comfortable with God; there was always something to purify for. The Pharisees who were the scrupulous executors of the smallest commandments received from the tradition of the ancients, said—according to the evangelist John— "This crowd which does not know the Law is accursed." How can one be happy with this kind of relationship with God? The wine was missing, which is a symbol of joy. This is the second biblical image. The wine and the vine are often mentioned in the Bible. In the Old Testament, wine appears 141 times and 34 times in the New Testament. There is also much talk of the vine: 56 times in the Old Testament and 9 times in the New Testament. In the Bible, drunkenness is condemned, but wine is a symbol of joy, of love. I'm going to read some texts that will help understand the meaning of this image. From the book of Sirach 19:19: "They enjoy celebrating banquets and wine makes their lives happy." Sirach 31:27-28: Wine is life for man if taken in moderation. What is life without wine? Wine makes for a glad heart and a cheerful mind.” Psalm 104:15: "Wine to gladden the heart." We also remember the famous text of Isaiah 25 announcing the great feast that the Lord will prepare for all peoples ...: "The Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines” (Is 25:6). This is the second comparison: that of the wine that is missing in this relationship that Israel has made with its God: the wine is missing. It is a wedding feast where there is no joy. And there is no joy if there is no unconditional love that is not the execution of mandates, but a coming into harmony in this relationship of love with the Lord. Some, but not all of Israel, had established this commercial relationship with God, of dependency, like employees. There were also those who had cultivated an intimate relationship of love with the Lord: the psalmists, the prophets. For example, Psalm 16:11 where the psalmist concludes and says to the Lord: “I have reached the end of my existence, but we are both in love. How will you do to be without me? I do not know how you will do it, but you cannot let your lover see corruption.” He is someone who lived before Easter, but he understands that falling in love could not end. Then also Psalm 139:1,13 that we all know very well: "You have searched me, Lord, and you know me... For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” There existed, then, in Israel some who had cultivated an authentic relationship with the Lord. But the scribes, the Pharisees, the high priests of the temple had instilled another spirituality: the observance of the commandments imposed by a legislating God. There was no joy; the wine was missing at this wedding feast. Who realizes that this situation is unsustainable? Not the chief priests... those who were the spiritual guides... not them. It is the ‘mother'. Who is this 'mother'? The text does not say 'Mary', it says 'the mother'. From what bosom was the Messiah born? He is born from the womb of Israel, of this wife of the Lord. And in these people of Israel there is a faithful remnant that has cultivated the relationship with the Lord and have realized that the situation is untenable. There is no joy in this wedding feast, reduced like that—as the spiritual guides of the people had reduced it. The womb from which Jesus was born—yes, certainly was born from the womb of Mary... but the 'womb' of the one whom the evangelist speaks here is the womb of the wife Israel. At the end of the Gospel, John presents this 'mother' at the foot of the cross. The 'mother' who is entrusted to the disciple and that represents the community that is born from the womb of Israel. Jesus, shortly before dying, says to the disciple: Remember that Israel is your mother. You have been born from this womb so, love, receive your mother. And when John writes his gospel, that mother (the synagogue) has rejected the son, he says to the mother: 'this is your son.' The evangelist John presents us a very profound and a very deep message. Therefore, the one who realizes that there is a lack of joy in this wedding feast is that part of Israel who has assimilated the spirituality of the prophets, who had preached a love relationship with the Lord. And this part of Israel is the mother who turns to Jesus. He is the only one who can give the wine so that those who welcome it becomes an inexhaustible source of joy. Note that the text does not say that 'wine is over'. It says: οινον ουκ εχουσιν, that means: They do not have wine, there is no wine in this religion. Joy is lacking. The mother—this faithful part of Israel—says to those who served: “Do what he tells you.” But before, when the mother says to the son: 'they have no wine'. The answer is very strange. Jesus answers: "Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come." What does this sentence mean? It is an expression of diplomatic language. It is to take distance from someone. The expression indicates a clear separation between that part of Israel that has not understood, that has not accepted the message of the prophets. And now the novelty arrives. Still, some commentators say that Jesus says to his mother, 'I do not want to work miracles now because my time has not come'. NO. In ancient manuscripts there was no punctuation, and understanding the phrase as an affirmation is correct. In fact, later Jesus acts and is interpreted as a request: ‘my time has not yet come.’ Now the moment has come when the wine arrives at this wedding feast, joy comes. The 'hour' of Jesus is the decisive moment, the moment when Jesus manifests his glory. This 'hour' is often remembered in the Gospel of John. When they try to capture Jesus, he says: 'His hour had not yet come.' Then, towards the end, when Jesus, praying to the Father, says: 'Father, the hour has come, glorify your son.' 'Glorify' does not mean 'asking for applause'. NO. The glory of God is when Jesus comes to manifest the fullness of his love. From the beginning of the gospel, Jesus announces that his time has come, the time when he will donate that wine which is the joy of the new relationship with the Lord. Let's hear now what the 'mother' says, the faithful Israel, this Israel that waits for the Lord to proclaim the feast of joy, the feast promised by the prophets. Let's hear what she says: “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 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.” The mother, this faithful remnant, has understood where happiness can come from. And she says to the servants: If you want to have the wine of joy, go find your water. It is the water of the husband, of Jesus, his Spirit. And here comes the central character in this text—it's the jars. These jars represent the ancient religion; these jars are empty... this relationship with God will never give joy. They were 6. It's a marriage that survives but lacks the outbursts of youth. Everything established by tradition is fulfilled. They look like those marriages that have reached a peak and there is no more joy. They are together because tradition indicates that they must be together. This text is also written for us today. The temptation to return to the religion represented by the jars, is always current. We have inherited a spirituality of merit, to have merits before God. This is typical of the dependent, of the employee. It is the spirituality that has been inculcated to us. It is not the spousal relationship of one who feels unconditionally loved. Even if the wife betrays the husband, he remains faithful. The relationship with God is different. Let's ask ourselves: What does the expressions 'religious practice', 'life in convent' mean? Do they evoke a feast, joy, smiles, song, dance? Or do they bring to mind sacrifice, seriousness, observance of regulations, of dispositions of superiors? They do not call for joy and feast. Our Christian communities that in the Day of the Lord meet to celebrate the Eucharist ... how do people present themselves? Do they arrive at church happy and smiling because after a week of hard work, finally they have the joy of meeting with the brothers and sisters to sing along with them the joy of feeling loved by God and by Christ? Are these the faces we see? Or are faces of people who come to church because they have to fulfill an obligation? And should be careful not to make the Lord very angry with a mortal sin if they do not participate in the Eucharist? What relationship with God is this? Can you "ask" someone to find the beloved under pain of mortal sin? How can you get to have joy with this kind of relationship with the Lord? Are we happy with the way the life of our Christian communities is experienced? What do non-believers see? Do you breathe youth in our Christian communities, or a smell of mold and stagnation? What is it about going back to the Latin Mass, of pious devotions... so much liked to some but that has very little relation with the gospel? Did this spirituality produce joy? Were the people happy? Are they now happy people for the choices they have made to follow Christ? How do those who are outside the Christian community see us? Is there joy in our community or is it the religion of empty vessels? It is not surprising that if people do not see this in Christian communities they are not attracted. So, is there any doubt that we have covered the gospel with a veil of sadness and that is why the gospel is not understood, welcomed? Then, many move away. If they saw people really happy they would look for joy somewhere else. After this figure of the jars, there is the figure of the servants. I think of those people who are necessary because they are the ones who work to present that water that becomes wine and joy. I think of the catechists; those committed Christians who spend Saturday afternoon at the service of the Christian community; and they are tireless. Their work is indispensable for this miracle of joy to be realized. And Jesus says: ""Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." About the headwaiter: he is mentioned five times. He is the one who should have prepared the banquet; so that the feast will fill everyone with joy. But he does not realize that wine is missing. This person in charge of the banquet represents the spiritual guides of the people. They were the ones who organized the wedding feast ... but they held funerals, they did not produce any joy. The people in charge of the banquet were busy with other things, as the gospel tells us. They did not realize that the religion they preached was not an authentic relationship with God; they intend to be noticed, they thought about making a career and reaching and affirming themselves in power and prestige. They appeared with this appearance to receive inclinations and gifts. Jesus could not stand these comedies. They did not realize that happiness was lacking. Therefore, they were surprised that someone made them realize that they had prepared a banquet for sad people. Now let's listen to his reaction with the words of the banquet manager: “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, then 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.” We have already said that those in charge of the banquet represent the religious leaders who had organized a relationship waith God that did not produce any joy. And now these managers are surprised that the new wine is better than the old one. The term used does not mean 'the good wine' that has arrived, but the 'beautiful' wine: ton kalón oicon. It is repeated twice. It is the 'beautiful' wine—beauty has finally entered into religious practice that before gave no satisfaction, only anxiety, fear and anguish.

Pay attention because the return to the old is a temptation that always happen. Sometimes we hear some nostalgic people who say: 'the old religious practice ... that was beautiful.' It was not beautiful at all. Beauty comes when one realizes this relationship of unconditional love of God. Jesus has put us on guard using this comparison of wine. Jesus says in the gospel of Luke in chapter 5: "Nobody after he has tasted the old wine wants the new one because he says the old one is better." This is the danger of returning to those assurances given by the ancient religious practice. And here Jesus manifested his glory. When is God manifesting his glory? When, finally, he manages to convince us of how much he loves us. What glory has he manifested in this sign? He showed his kind face; the face of God who wants all his sons and daughters to be happy; and that he only wants joy for his sons and daughters. That he does not want employees to obey orders to receive a pay at the end of life. He does not give orders to be respected; his word is a participation of love, because we can only be happy if we understand that he loves us well and that he wants to give us life. He does not give orders to be obeyed and to show that He is the boss. He does not want people who are punished if they do not have a good excuse. This is the religion of the jars for purification... that never gave joy to anyone. The glory of our God is the revelation of his gratuitous and unconditional love. Even when humanity does not respond with love, it does not diminish his fidelity to the love that he has sworn to humanity. The one who feels loved in this way cannot but be perpetually in joy. If those who have not accepted the proposal of life of Jesus of Nazareth, do not see this joy in our faces, How will they feel attracted to this religious commitment with the Lord? If religion is not what unites us to God with unconditional love, they will not see in our faces the joy that Jesus came to bring. I wish everyone a good Sunday and a good week.