Homily 2nd Sunday of the
Year C: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Isa 62:1-5; Ps 96:1-3,7-10; 1 Cor
12:4-11 and John 2:1-11
Newness of Life in
Christ,
Naturally we are get
excited when we have something new. It could be a new house, a new job, a new
shirt, a new shoe, a new car, a new wine, or a new home, a new baby. Newly
married couples are usually excited too, as well as newly ordained priests or
newly inaugurated Presidents. Personally, I have been excited a few times: on the day of my
ordination; when I
newly arrived in my new graduate schools in the United States and Rome and as newly post-doctoral biblical scholar and
theologian. I was also excited when my new Book on Prophet Zephaniah came out.
My excitement also highten when I was employed as a full time faculty professor
at Sacred Heart School of Theology. Israel must have been excited with today's post
exilic message of Trito- Isaiah, which says,
"Nation shall
behold your vindication, and all the kings your glory; you shall be called by a
new name pronounced by the mouth of the Lord. You shall be a glorious crown in the
hand of the Lord, a royal diadem held by your God. No more shall people call
you forsaken or your land desolate. But you shall be called my delight, and
your land espoused. For the lord delights in you and makes your land his
spouse.... Just as a bridegroom rejoice in his bride so shall your God rejoice
in you."
In fact, this made a
lot of sense for a people who had long been oppressed , denied basic freedom of
speech, worship, commerce, fundamental human rights and colonized by foreign
empire. It brings a great relieve to those who had long lived in exiled, away
from the comfort of their home, whose sense of privacy and sense of belonging had
long been deprived as well. It made sense for those who had been forsaken or
who had been made to forsake their lands. Today the Lord delights in them. It
is a message of hope. It is a message of relief. It is a message of renewal.
Its a message of a new home, a delightful new city and a delightful rebuilt
community.
This same note of
newness is struck in the gospel incidence or sign in Cana in Galilee where
Jesus not only attended the wedding ceremony in John 2, but changed water into
wine, through the intercession of his mother Mary. With this Jesus not only revealed his glory, but fulfilled
the promises made us by the Lord through the mouths of the Prophets of old,
but teaches us that he is an ideal server and condition changer. With God
everything is possible. Enemies could be made to become friends once more.
Peace could be restored in troubled homes and towns and cities. Hopelesslness could be
replaced with hopefulness and hatred with love, exclusiveness with inclusiveness!
What a beauty of this symbolism of changing water into wine!
Jesus can change our
exiled condition to a home coming. He can change our desolate condition to a delightful
one. He can help us change our old fashion, life style, bad habits be it an
abuse of talents and gifts to a refreshing, and flourishing spiritual and Christian
habit of putting our talents and gifts to the service of the common good (1 Cor
12:4-11). He can change selfishness to selflessness. And oldness of life in the
"world" to a newness of life in Christ Jesus. He is the source of
Joy. He is the source of a new life, a new spirit, a new heart, a new mind, a
new home, a new village, a new county or local government, a new state, a new
nation and a new world where peace, love and forgiveness dwell!
