Great Homily Today

Started by Jayne, January 17, 2016, 06:32:30 PM

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Jayne

I heard a really helpful homily today.  The Gospel was the wedding at Cana.  I heard an explanation that I had never heard before.

Quote[1] And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there. [2] And Jesus also was invited, and his disciples, to the marriage. [3] And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to him: They have no wine. [4] And Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to me and to thee? my hour is not yet come. [5] His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye.

The priest explained that taking "Woman, what is that to me and to thee? my hour is not yet come" as harsh or rebuking is a blasphemous Protestant idea.  What is really happening is the miracle that begins Our Lord's public ministry, the first step on His journey toward the Cross.  His words in everyday English would be something like, "You do realize what doing this means for me and for you, don't you? It leads to my hour of suffering." 

The priest told us that a Saint (I've already forgotten which one) had taught that Our Lady was given a vision of the suffering that she would share with Our Lord at this time.  So when she said, "Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye," it also carries the unspoken answer, "Yes, I accept the suffering." This really made sense to me.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.

MundaCorMeum

That's really good.  I've never thought of it that way before, either. Thanks, Jayne  :)

Gardener

Voris has offered this explanation before. I believe he got it from Sheen, and Sheen got it from a more literal reading of the Greek I believe.

Here's the verse: http://biblehub.com/interlinear/john/2-4.htm

http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=710450 has a nearly verbatim explanation.

St Thomas offers some more background on the serious amounts of information contained in that one phrase:
http://dhspriory.org/thomas/english/John2.htm
"If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother." - St. Maximilian Kolbe

Bernadette

I've heard the first point before, but not the second. Excellent! Thank God for priests who preach homilies focusing on spiritual truths.  :pray3:
My Lord and my God.

Prayerful

The priest made a good point in the sermon yesterday. The attack on family life is funded by international finance, and Catholics will have be prepared.
Padre Pio: Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.