Reflection/Homily: Second (2nd)
Sunday in Ordinary Time of the Year C (January 20 2013)
Theme: The Wedding Feast and the
Sharing of Gifts
In
a typical African society, once a male child becomes an adult, he is then legally
permitted to perform those actions reserved for men like breaking of kolanut,
initiation into the masquerade cult, marriage, etc. In some societies, manhood
is marked with some cultural activities like “Iwa Akwa” or with the attainment
of a certain age or even with a landmark achievement like graduation or
securing a job.
Likewise,
with Jesus’ baptism last Sunday, He was commissioned to begin His public
ministry as a man. He went about doing good and He loved the people so much as
a husband would love his wife. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah in the
first reading (Isaiah 62:1-5) when he talks about the marriage between Yahweh
(the Bride) and the people of Israel (the bridegroom).
In
most cultures, a marriage feast is characterized by the sharing of gifts. The
couple shares their love together and other physical gifts like food, wine,
souvenirs, etc are shared with the invited guests. In the gospel, the wedding
feast of the couple ran into difficulty when the wine they were sharing
finished and Mary informed Jesus that “they have no wine”. Jesus at the intercession
of His mother had to manifest His power to intervene in human situations by
changing water into wine though it was not yet His time.
