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2nd Sunday i Ordinary Time Year C - 22/1/2013 - Gospel: Jn 2:1-11
The water
A couple of years ago in January 2011 many parts of the Brisbane city were under water. For several long weeks there were predictions warning people which towns would be the next victims of the coming torrent. And they were right; town after town went under the water. This year, it is quite contrary. It has been so dry and we were waiting for some water to fall down from the sky to control the bushfires. We continue waiting in hope.

Water plays a very significant role in the life of the Church. It quenched the thirst of the chosen race who wandered on their journey to the Promised Land. Water is the symbol of purification in the water of baptism. Water becomes life- giving as Jesus told a woman at the well.

Whoever drinks this water will get thirsty again but whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring which will provide water and give eternal life Jn 4,14

Last week we heard about John the Baptist who baptized Jesus and that was the beginning of his public ministry. This week we hear that at the wedding in Cana, in Galilee, Jesus changed ordinary water into wine that made both the wedding guests and the master of the wedding ceremony wonder where the good quality wine come from.

People generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have plenty to drink, but you have kept the best wine till now
. So said the steward.

At the end of today's reading it concludes that the miracle made the glory of Jesus be seen by the crowds and his disciples believed in Jesus. The disciples already believed in Jesus. If not they wouldn't have become his disciples. They became his disciples by faith but they didn't know that his words had the power to create. After the wedding they knew that his words had the power to change water into good wine. They saw the servants filled the jars with water. They heard Jesus tell the servants to bring the water in the jars to the steward for him to taste and the water had turned into good wine. They didn't know how it happened but they knew that Jesus gave the command and the water changed into wine.

The disciples have faith in Jesus and through faith they saw his miracle.  In other words faith comes first and miracle follows. The miracle didn't give faith but deepened their faith and made them understand more about Jesus.

In following Jesus there is always something better to come, and the best thing comes last. That is what we hope for when we finish our journey on earth; we hope to join Jesus in the joy of eternal life. That is the ultimate triumphant for those who have faith in Jesus according to his promise.

The water that I will give him will become in him a spring which will provide water and give eternal life Jn 4,14.


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