JANUARY 15, 2017
SUNDAY 12:00 NOON EXTRAORDINARY FORM MASS
Today's reading is from the Second Chapter of St. John's Gospel.
The First Chapter of St. John's Gospel is used throughout the year as the Last Gospel at Mass, with the exception of the Third Mass of Christmas, where it is read as the Gospel of that Mass.
The Gospel of St. John does not start with a history of Jesus' lineage like the Synoptic Gospels, but rather parallels the Creation account in Genesis. The Creation account in Genesis begins with the three words, "In the beginning," and ends with the Creation of Man and Woman. The Creation account in the first two chapters of St. John's Gospel begins with the same three words, "In the beginning," and ends with the Wedding Feast at Cana, the Gospel of today's Mass. The interaction between Our Blessed Mother and Our Lord are telling. Our Lady tells Christ, "They have no wine," and He responds "Woman, what is that to me and to thee?" In other words, Our Lord is responding in a sense with the words of Psalm 8:5, "What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?" This is not Our Lord shirking His call or being selfish – and you might hear someone claim that, although they are wrong. Rather, Our Lord is indicating that despite the lowly position of humanity in relation to the majesty of God, God still desires to enter into a relationship, not only with humanity in general, but with each individual person. That is the supernatural action of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism which brings us in to the life of the Trinity, and makes us children of God. Too often we sell God short, presuming that He only wants to be part of the large issues, or the major crises in our lives. But, God desires to be involved in every part of our lives – both great and small, as well as the dark and light places. How can Christ truly save us if we do not allow him to save us from everything and if we do not return to Him all the good He has given us. We must bring God into every part of our lives and offer everything we are to Him. Our waking and our sleeping; our thinking and our dreaming; anything and everything is to be offered up to God through Christ. At the Offertory, after we chant the Credo, offer with the priest every aspect of your life and your selves to Him. As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, let us receive Him in this Eucharist and offer Him every aspect of our lives. Let Him save what needs saving, and consecrate our every action and thought to Him and Him alone.
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