Sunday Sermon - 1.19.25
LATIN MASS: SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
EPISTLE: Romans 12:6 And having different gifts, according to the grace that is given us, either prophecy, to be used according to the rule of faith; 7 Or ministry, in ministering; or he that teacheth, in doctrine; 8 He that exhorteth, in exhorting; he that giveth, with simplicity; he that ruleth, with carefulness; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Hating that which is evil, cleaving to that which is good. 10 Loving one another with the charity of brotherhood, with honour preventing one another. 11 In carefulness not slothful. In spirit fervent. Serving the Lord. 12 Rejoicing in hope. Patient in tribulation. Instant in prayer. 13 Communicating to the necessities of the saints. Pursuing hospitality. 14 Bless them that persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15 Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep. 16 Being of one mind one towards another. Not minding high things, but consenting to the humble. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Notice how the different gifts are given to different people. So many people read the Bible and make themselves the main character. So any verse which says a person will be given a gift, they think this verse means them. That’s not correct. Each one here is a different person with a different gift. Each one is to use their gift for the betterment of the Church and to not intrude on the gifts given to others.
Let love be without dissimulation. What does that mean? Dissimulation means to conceal your thoughts or to give a false pretense. We cannot love while giving false pretenses. Your love must be genuine. You do not have to like everyone in the Church, but you genuinely should hope, work and pray for their salvation. Loving our neighbor is a command specifically because it is NOT easy or comes naturally to us.
GOSPEL: John 2:1 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. 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece. 7 Jesus saith to them: Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And Jesus saith to them: Draw out now, and carry to the chief steward of the feast. And they carried it. 9 And when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, and knew not whence it was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water; the chief steward calleth the bridegroom, 10 And saith to him: Every man at first setteth forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee; and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
This is the first public miracle that Our Lord performs, and begins His public ministry and begins His journey to the Cross. This is why Our Lord asks this question to Our Lady. Just as at the Annunciation, God asks Our Lady if she consents to His will, and each time she says yes. Here Our Lord is reminding her that what affects Him will affect her. It has been prophesied that a sword will pierce her heart. In just this one sentence, Our Lord recalls to Our Lady that if she asks for this public miracle, it will begin not only His journey to the Passion, but also her journey to the sword. God does not force anyone to love Him. Our Lady answers in the affirmative.
So after the waiters have labored tremendously, only then does Our Lord perform the miracle. He wants our involvement in His plan of salvation. Remember that these six jars each contained about twenty gallons. The waiters had to carry 120 gallons of water from the well all the way to fill these jars. That is a LOT of work. Only after they had expended their efforts does Our Lord then change the water into wine.
NOVUS ORDO: SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 62:1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. 2 The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. 3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your Builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
The Catholic Church is the Bride of Christ. Our Lord vindicates and purifies His Bride so that she is radiant in beauty. He cleanses each one of us that is willing to be cleaned. In Baptism we are given a new Name. We are baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. We have become part of the family of the Trinity. The Lord delights in us if we will only love and obey Him. He wants us to be with Him for eternity.
NEW TESTAMENT: 1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
As noted above, these gifts are not given to each person and they are not all given to one person. The Holy Spirit is the one who decides which gifts are given to whom. We must rejoice in His choices and not complain about them. Respect His wishes and use the talents you are given. This topic is so important to St. Paul that he emphatically writes it out in not one but two epistles. He has to tell two different groups of Christians that each person will not be given the same gifts from the Holy Spirit. Seems like he has to say this because it’s a common temptation for believers.
GOSPEL: John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to Me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. 9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 Jesus did this, the first of His signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
Have you invited Our Lord into your marriage? It seems a strange question at first, but when you think about it, the more foundational it becomes. This couple that was getting married, they were blessed by Our Lord, Our Lady and some of the Apostles to come to their wedding. Have you invited Our Lord into your marriage?
If you have never done so, then now is the time. Both spouses need to go to Confession. Clear your souls of all sin, and then the sacrament of Marriage will once again be a channel of God’s grace into your marriage and your souls. It will become a blessing to your marriage and your family. Invite the Lord to your wedding.