Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Some things naturally go together. Notice how our Sunday liturgical readings form a wonderfully combined chorus of Isaiah celebrating the blessings of God on the People of God, St. Paul celebrating the special gifts of every person, and Jesus with his mother’s gentle encouragement coming to the rescue for the bride and groom on their wedding day.
We can wonder how the tone of joy and gratitude resonates with us when a combination of at least three things come together. First of all, there is the clear recognition of a blessing being present. It can come from personal observation, or it can be pointed out by someone we meet. Who can ignore acknowledging a stranger’s greeting such as “what a wonderful day today!” That gets the wheels of wonder started!
Secondly, each person needs to recognize those special gifts, which can make a difference for others. St. Paul makes the point by reminding his listeners or readers that their particular gift is essential for the common good. The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, and the list could go on and on of people who discover (and develop) their creative joy in adding to the beauty, knowledge, and health of our modern world.
Finally, there is a third factor contributing to the tone of joy and gratitude for our times. I suggest it is the element of surprise leading to awe. The great Jewish mystic Abraham Heschel makes an important distinction between wonder and awe. He makes the point in his classic work, God in Search of Man, that wonder is present for the person open to the transcendent in the work of God around us. However, awe is the chosen response of the person who has gotten the glimpse. Today’s Gospel about Jesus changing the ceremonial cleansing water into fine wine unlocks the awe of kindness and surprise contributing to the joy and happiness of the moment. The first to realize what took place were the waiters and the bridal couple. Now we know their secret.
In our world marked by tragic suffering, each of us can do three important things: 1) acknowledge the blessings given to us, 2) choose to use our gifts in return, 3) allow wonder to lead us to a new kind of awe and gratitude.
Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections