Does it work the other way ( the Corollary ) too ?

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Isaiah 62 : 1 – 5

¹ For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. ² The nations will see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. ³ You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. ⁴ No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called “my delight is in her” ^A, and your land “married” ^B; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. ⁵ As a young man marries a maiden, so will your “Builder” ^C marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you .

A or Hephzibah

B or Beulah

C or sons

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From the Sunday Bulletin of St. Michael Parish for Sunday, January 17^th, 2010

The Wine of Delight

Have you seen that calendar featuring handsome guys doing vacuuming and dishes, and basically being every wife's dream husband? Guys might call it a fantasy, but, to be brutally honest, it does illustrate how different life can be if a person is so much “one” with the other that they choose to anticipate their needs and desires without even asking. Isaiah says God feels this way about us: “ The Lord takes delight in you. As the bridegroom rejoices in his bride, so will your God rejoice in you.” God even calls us “My Delight.” Today the gospel shows us two examples of unity and oneness. The first is Mary's sensitivity and compassion for the poor young couple at the Cana wedding feast. Mary has such a oneness with her beloved son, Jesus, that she confidently tells him the problem. Even though he says he's not planning to work a miracle, Mary is so confident of his “being on her wavelength” that she simply tells the servants “do whatever he tells you.” Secondly, Jesus has such a radical unity with God and the whole of creation that Jesus does not even need to look at the water jars, or do or say anything special. Jesus directs his intention to the end results in such a way as to change the physical reality of water into wine. Jesus uses his will to do Mary's will. In our friendships and in our marriages, do we use our wills to delight the other person? - to show them how God feels about them? Simple acts of love – kind words, taking the burden off in small ways, thinking ahead . . .. Just as Mary and Jesus used their intimacy to bring peace to others by their acts of trust and confidence in each other, may we use our wills to do God's will. And that's no fantasy. Go forth to love and serve our God!

From The Word Among Us – Daily Meditations for Catholics

John 2 : 1 – 11 ( The Wedding at Cana where Jesus turns water into wine at the request of his mother Mary ( the first of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary instituted by Pope John Paul II ))

From and address by Pope John Paul II at the General Audience of February 26, 1997:

In the episode of the wedding at Cana, St. John presents Mary's first intervention in the public life of Jesus and highlights her cooperation in her son's mission. The meaning and role of the Blessed Virgin's presence become evident when the wine runs out.

As a skilled and wise housewife, Mary immediately notices and intervenes so that no one's joy is marred and, above all, to help the newly married couple in difficulty. Turning to Jesus with the words: “ They have no wine” (John 2:3), Mary expresses her concern to him about this situation, expecting him to solve it. More precisely, according to some exegetes, his Mother is expecting and extraordinary sign, since Jesus had no wine at his disposal.

Jesus' answer, “ O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come” (John 2: 4), appears to express a refusal, as if putting his Mother's faith to the test. Mary docilely refrains from insisting with him and instead turns to the servants, telling them to obey him.

Her trust in her Son is rewarded. Jesus, whom she has left totally free to act, works the miracle, recognizing his Mother's courage and docility:” Jesus said to them, ' Fill the jars with water.' and they filled them up to the brim” (John 2:7). Thus their obedience also helps to procure wine in abundance.

Mary's request, “Do whatever he tells you,” .. .. is an exhortation to trust without hesitation, especially when one does not understand the meaning or benefit of what Christ asks. Jesus' apparent refusal exalts Mary's faith, so that her Son's words, “My hour has not yet come,” together with the working of the first miracle, demonstrate the Mother's great faith and the power of her prayer.

( Prayer to Mary )

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Here's a couple of Corollaries:

• If the relationship of a marriage can serve as an example of God's relationship to mankind, can God's relationship to mankind serve as an example of a marriage relationship?

• If the intimacy of a mother and son can serve us examples of acts of trust and confidence necessary to serve God in trust and confidence, witnessing and bringing peace to others, can the service of God serve examples of how the intimacy of a mother and son could exist of acts of trust and confidence, witnessing and bringing peace to others?

• If a mother can act in faith, in spite of an apparent refusal by her son, can a son act in faith, in spite of an apparent refusal of his mother ?

Can we get all this ramped up to an unmarred marriage of equals rather than a parent/child or God/man relationship. If we believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting, what the heck is anybody doing about it ? My grandparents died, my parents are counting on it, and at this rate I may be well gone myself. My last breath will cry out for Marriage. Will God once again dwell among us ? What do we believe ? What do you believe ? I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting ! I also believe in the second coming of Christ. If you do not know what I am talking about then leave this discussion now . If you can see, hear and speak of your experience, let's hear it. God created the world and saw it was good. Man ate of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, judged and was judged. God loves us and all His creation. He is inviting us into a relationship that is exemplified in marriage, with Him. Could not marriage be a good place to start - you need the constitution of a saint, if not a constitution of Christ, Himself to endure an intimate relationship that is so rewarding as marriage. Let's crack that egg deliberately, and take a good long look at what is fruitful and what will just run its' course getting us nowhere.

from the blog of R David Foster www.vid93.blogspot.com