A Few (Humble) Thoughts on Pope Francis

There has already been too much ink spilled analyzing the nascent pontificate of Pope Francis (And yes, I realize the irony that I'm adding to that ink. But, like everyone else, I think I have something valuable to contribute to the conversation).

So, first: I've noticed that the various perspectives fall into two camps.

On the one hand, there's the opinion that approaches Pope Francis with wide open arms. He is just what the Catholic Church needed. And the phrase that is thrown around quite frequently here is "He's humble." He's the people's Pope. He wades into large crowds [... like this guy-- and note the date] and greets everyone at the expense of his security detail; he has a history of sacrificially taking care of the poor and downtrodden, often at the expense of the trappings of high ecclesiastical office. As a Cardinal in Buenos Aires, it is often pointed out now, he took public transportation and lived in a small apartment where he took care of an elderly brother priest. As the Pope, he takes the bus instead of the limo, he dresses simply instead of donning the red shoes, cufflinks, and other traditional vestiture. He keeps at arm's length the visible finery that distinguishes him from the common man. For this camp, these actions are refreshing. To them, it is a sign that the Church does care for the everyman, that She does not wish to grow aloof from the world's problems, that there is a man in the Vatican who "gets it" and who has the integrity and intestinal fortitude to see that change-- how ever one might define that change-- will happen.

On the other hand, there's the opinion that approaches Pope Francis with caution. What was wrong with the finery? they ask. What was the matter with the way things were going? Should there not be an embrace of what has been traditionally done? This camp is a little worried. When Pope Francis talks about making the Church poor, they wonder: will such poverty result in a kind of iconoclasm that strips the Catholic Church of an evangelical power essential to its identity-- namely, beauty? Will the everyday replace the extraordinary? Will the common replace the sacred? They wonder whether Pope Francis' humility is misguided. That is: is it not also humble to submit oneself to the traditions that have come before, taking them on and allowing Christ to speak through them? Is that not true humility?

Whether you are in Camp Humility or Camp Cautious, I think it's safe to say that modern man, in his desire to know and understand first appearances that either jive or conflict with his worldview, ascribes a too-quick judgment and therefore misses out on the possibility of greater wisdom that could unfold over time.

But ok: Is there a change at the Vatican? Yes, his name is Pope Francis. And is he breaking with custom (and really it's custom more than tradition)? Yes, it seems as though he is. But, lest we forget: so did Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, whose very name, now, evidences an innovation.

As with most things worth the wait, both camps are going to be surprised if they should wait and hold off judgment until the sheer passage of time allows for a greater sample set-- a sample which may, really, only be adequately taken years after any pontificate.

Certainly, those refreshed by Pope Francis' preference for the poor and his break with custom will be startled by his frank defense of traditional Catholic teaching to serve the poor. (Sorry Chris Matthews, but this Pope isn't going to overturn Humanae Vitae). The afterglow of the election of an everyman Pope will dissolve as reality will come into focus, namely that Pope Francis is a staunch supporter of Truth with a capital T. First impressions are critical here. And if the Pope's acts of humility have attracted many, maybe that attraction will have warmed a few hearts to receive the harder lessons to come.

For those who are cautious, I believe they will see in Francis a strong support and, as well, the suffering Servant of the Servants of God. I think Pope Francis is setting us up for the revelation of the beauty of the love that suffers: truly, caritas in veritate. Perhaps the customs and the finery don't allow the beauty of the crucified Christ to be seen by the modern heart. What if, stripped of his purple robes, the world sees Christ? Would that not be worth more than red shoes? Once again, first impressions are critical. And if it takes getting rid of the red shoes for now, then so be it. [But, for what it's worth, the red shoes are a sign of blood, not vanity...]

Stripped of glory for a time, I recall hearing in Paul's Letter to the Philippians, Christ so redeemed the world, bringing Her to a greater glory.

Certainly, Pope Benedict had once said, dovetailing off of Pope John Paul II's prediction that there would be a new springtime in the church, that such a springtime would require pruning. Many took that to mean a reduction in Church population. Perhaps, however, given the grave sins of the past century, the pruning will be, in a way, a becoming the poor Christ who by his stripes we are healed. Pope Francis has, as a cardinal, told his priests to wear penitential dress in reparation for past sins. Could his humility possibly be an expression of that desire? It seems quite possible. And those who are "more traditional" would find in this a refreshing air, I would think.

At any rate, I would not put it past Our Lord and His divine providence to provide us a with a Pope that calls us all to greater reflection-- and to do so in a penitential season as Lent. After all, Pope Benedict could have abdicated during Advent, Christmas, Easter, or Ordinary Time. He knew well in advance that he might abdicate (see his visits-- in the plural-- to the grave of Pope Celestine V, the pope who abdicated due to old age). So it would not surprise me one bit if, in his wisdom, Pope Benedict saw what lay ahead for the Church and thus abdicated in a such a way that the next Supreme Pontiff would begin his reign during the time of penance and reparation.

Time will tell if that is the period into which we are heading. For now, I recall the words of the first reading from the Fifth Sunday in Lent: "Behold, I am doing something new. Do you not perceive it?"

My heart, my mind, and my eyes are open, Lord.

Let us turn to the words of the Supreme Pontiff himself and read his words at the first homily he delivered at the first Holy Mass he offered as Pope. I do believe at this Mass, offered "For the Church" (Missa pro Ecclesia), Pope Francis begins to give us his outlook:

When we journey without the Cross, when we build without the Cross, when we profess Christ without the Cross, we are not disciples of the Lord, we are worldly: we may be bishops, priests, cardinals, popes, but not disciples of the Lord.

My wish is that all of us, after these days of grace, will have the courage, yes, the courage, to walk in the presence of the Lord, with the Lord’s Cross; to build the Church on the Lord’s blood which was poured out on the Cross; and to profess the one glory: Christ crucified. And in this way, the Church will go forward.

I echo the sentiments of another priest: "I'm excited by our new holy father, and if everything he does isn't exactly to my taste, well so what? I want to learn from him, learn how to be a better Catholic and learn how to be a better priest. Most of all, I hope he shows us the pressing needs of the world, and how much we need to proclaim the Gospel with our words and our works."



UPDATE: Another blogging priest has an excellent explanation of the Pope's papal motto ("Miserando atque  eligendo") here. The post is quite stunning, illuminates some things I have thought, and is well worth a read.

Novena to St. Peter - Prayer in Thanksgiving and Petition for the Pope

A good priest brother sent this my way. It is a novena (a prayer said for nine days) whose intention you will find immediately below. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends, delightfully, on the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter-- the feast day in which we celebrate the Lord granting, raising up, and guaranteeing great powers of teaching, governance, and sanctification to His Steward, Peter, the first Pope, and his successors.

Novena to St. Peter, Apostle

In thanksgiving to God for the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI,
for the Sacred College of Cardinals who will name his successor, and for the Church.

Beginning on 13 February ending on 21 February,

the vigil of the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Apostle.

+In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O Holy Apostle, because you are the Rock upon which Almighty God has built His church; obtain for me I pray you, lively faith, firm hope and burning love; complete detachment from myself, contempt of the world, patience in adversity, humility in prosperity, recollection in prayer, purity of heart, a right intention in all my works, diligence in fulfilling the duties of my state of life, constancy in my resolutions, resignation to the will of God and perseverance in the grace of God even unto death; that so, by means of your intercession and your glorious merits, I may be worthy to appear before the chief and eternal Shepherd of souls, Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for ever. Amen.

Litany of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles

NOTE: This litany is approved for private devotion and prayer.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

Queen conceived without Original Sin, pray for us.

Queen of Apostles, pray for us.

Saint Peter, pray for us.

Prince of the Apostles, pray for us.

St. Peter, to whom were given the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, pray for us.

St. Peter, so ardent for the glory of Christ, pray for us.

St. Peter, whose heart was pierced with one look from Jesus, pray for us.

St. Peter, who ceased not to grieve for having denied the Son of God,
pray for us.

St. Peter, whose cheeks were furrowed by a stream of tears which flowed to the end of thy life, pray for us.

St. Peter; who cried out, “Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee,” pray for us.

St. Peter, bound in chains for Christ, pray for us.

St. Peter, delivered from prison by an Angel, pray for us.

St. Peter, who rejoiced to suffer for Christ, pray for us.

St. Peter, whose very shadow healed the sick, pray for us.

St. Peter, whose voice even the dead obeyed, pray for us.

St. Peter, that we may have a constant and mutual charity among ourselves, pray for us.

That we may taste and see more and more how sweet is the Lord, pray for us.

That we may be zealous in loyalty to thy successor, the present Vicar of Christ, pray for us.

That we may help, at least by prayer, to restore to the unity of thy Holy See the scattered sheep, pray for us.

That we may be prudent and watchful in prayer, pray for us.

That we may die the death of the just, pray for us.

V. Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him,
R. And His wonderful works to the children of men.
V. Pray for us, Saint Peter the Rock,
R. That we may be worthy of the Vicar of Christ.

Let Us Pray: O Lord Jesus Christ, Who upon blessed Peter, Thine Apostle, didst bestow the pontifical power of binding and loosing, and didst give to him the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, grant that his intercession may ensure our deliverance from the bondage of sin, Thou Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Appended Novena Prayers for the Holy Father:

Each day of this Novena pray: 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, & 1 Glory Be.

V:   Let us pray for our Pope Benedict.

R:   May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed

upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

V.   Thou art Peter,

R.   And upon this Rock, I will build My Church.

Let us Pray: Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon your servant, Benedict, our Sovereign Pontiff, and guide him in your goodness on the way of eternal salvation; so that, with the prompting of your grace,  he may desire what pleases you and accomplish it with all his strength. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

V. Mother of the Church,            R. Pray for us.
V. St. Peter,                               R. Pray for us.

+In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Casting into the Deep for a Good Lent - Homily for 5th Sunday in OT

            You have three days. Three days until Lent.

I’ve been asking some of the kids at school what they are “giving up” for Lent and I’m hearing things like, “I’m giving up chocolate” or “I’m giving up soda.” Admittedly, when I think of Lent, I think of my favorite Roadrunner and Wiley Coyote cartoon where Wiley finds himself suspended in mid-air between two giant cliffs, holding a sign with one word on it: “Yipe!”

Some love this upcoming season. But I will admit: I’m not a big fan. I don’t like to admit that I’ve grown too attached to things or that I’ve let the garden of my life become overgrown with weeds and the vines. But if I’ve had a good Lent—a Lent where I’ve really worked in the garden and been honest with God and myself—I find that I’m a more joyful, peaceful, and holier person at the end. The best Easters that I’ve ever had are those that have come after a grueling Lent. A Lent on the Cross.

            Today, our Gospel exhorts us to cast out into the deep. Not the shallow, but the deep. What does this mean for our Lenten observance? It means go big or go home. Giving up chocolates and soda is fine—for 3^rd graders. Cast out into the deep. Love is not found in the shallow.

            As a priest, I hear many ideas about what people do. Let me share a few. They fall under three categories.

            The first is fasting.

On one level, we are obliged to fast twice during Lent. Everyone 18-59 must fast this Wednesday—Ash Wednesday—and on Good Friday. That means one regular meal, two small, and only liquids in between. That is required for everyone 18-59. We are also obliged to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. Why fish, then? Having followed Jesus’ command to “Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and come, follow me,” the Church was poor and so they ate the food of the poor: fish: fish which could be caught in any lake, river, or sea. This, then reminds us to live simply. And it is done on Friday to remind us of the day of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice.

That is what is required of us. Now, to make our Lent fruitful: we need to double-down on our rooting out of some of the evil in our lives and some things to which we are attached. I’m going to give you a list.

Choose one:

Fast from the bar, fast from gossip, fast from anger. Fast from cursing or lying or judging or comparing yourself with others or from tearing yourself down. Fast from being picky. Fast from being negative or sarcastic or immodest. Fast from insults. Let your fast be awesome: so… fast from hitting the snooze button. Fast from facebook, from twitter, from texting, youtube, television, and staying up late. Give yourself a bedtime. Fast from junk food, from fast food, and salting your food. Have dinner with your family. Fast from video games or from the ipod or the i-whatever and from secular music and from the radio when you drive. Listen to some sacred music. Listen to God in the silence. Fast from complaining. Fast from having your way. Fast from checking your phone when you are with people. Fast from make-up. Or from a hot shower. And if you can’t live without it, maybe this is the year that you live without it.

            Cast out into the deep. Not the shallow.

            So take a moment right now, cast your net into this list, and pick one.

            …. I’m serious. Pick one. Make a commitment.

           

            The second category is prayer.

As we give up something, something good and holy must replace it. If we give up television or facebook, we must replace it with something good, else we will replace it with youtube.

So, here are some good things to fill you:

            Attend Holy Mass during the week in addition to Sunday. We will have Holy Mass on Tuesday nights and Wednesdays at noon all throughout Lent. Read a chapter of the Gospels each day. Pick up a book on a saint and read it. Go to the Adoration chapel before you go home each day. Join Monsignor and me every morning at 7:30 for morning prayer. Go to the Stations of the Cross—every Friday at 2:30pm or 7pm. Get up early and pray each morning. When you go to bed, make a list of 5 things for which you are thankful. Sing. Sing at Mass—even if you think you stink at it. Even if you know you stink at it, sing. Open the green hymnal and sing. Sing some more. Follow along with the Eucharistic prayers at Mass. Attend the adult formation nights Monsignor and I will be doing. Go to confession—go more than once. Pray the rosary every day. Go to the cathedral or the botanical gardens or the art museum or the symphony and see or hear something beautiful. Stay longer after Holy Mass. Exercise. Pray with your spouse before bed. Hug your kids. Read them a bible story when you tuck them in. Read your 24-year-old a bible story before you tuck him in.

            Cast out into the deep!—not the shallow.

            Take a moment right now and pick one. Cast into the deep.

            Third category: Almsgiving.

This isn’t just giving money to the poor. This is figuring out how you need to love the people around you and then to do it. If you are fasting from TV, spend that time with family. If you are fasting from shopping or from eating out, give that money to a good charity. If you are fasting from being-and-looking busy, then slow down and maybe make a real dinner for the family. Maybe you need to call your mom. Other ideas: Write a love-letter to your spouse. Write your grandma a letter. Take someone out to lunch each week—a neighbor you kind of ignore, a lonely co-worker, one of your children. Volunteer. Tithe. And if you already tithe, step up your tithing from 10%-15%. Do the dishes when it’s not your turn. Hold doors open for someone every day. Buy your wife flowers each week. Try to have another child. Write kind notes and hand them to random strangers you see. Compliment your spouse each morning. Compliment a stranger. Tell someone about Jesus.

            Cast out into the deep!

            Take a moment and cast your nets into the deep.

            I’ve given you over 50 ideas. Now: a few tips to help you be successful:

            1) If you fall, get back on that horse, cowboy. Lent can be easy and exciting at first. But Lent is Lent when you’ve been carrying the cross for 20 days. No pain, no gain.

            2) Don’t do a penance that will be a penance for others. If you know you will snap at those you love if you don’t have your coffee because you’re fasting from coffee, then maybe you shouldn’t be fasting from coffee this year.

            3) Don’t wait until the last minute to “do Lent.” Start now, start strong, be strong, finish strong. Easter will then be awesome strong.

            4) Remember: You’re not doing this alone and you don’t have to go it alone. If you want to go to daily Mass but know you’ll need someone to help you, invite someone along. Invite, invite, invite.

            Ok, so that’s the end of my homily. There is one more part, but it is more of an announcement… 

During this Lent we will all have an opportunity to grow because there will be a few new additions to Mass beginning in Lent.

            First: there will be a different wine starting in Lent. It will be white instead of red. The reason for this is twofold: one, white is much, much easier to clean from our cloth purificators than the red. Two, this wine is easier on the stomach—which helps us priests since we are consuming it every day.

           

Second: in the past, holy Mass during Lent would start in silence. We all know of the noble simplicity that the season of Lent demands for the Mass. This year, we will continue the noble simplicity of Mass during Lent, being sure to follow what the Church asks us to do in that regard. Therefore, Holy Mass will begin with the text that is specific to each Mass. This text—known as the entrance antiphon or introit—will be sung by all in lieu of mere silence. The music for the rest of Mass will remain as it is every Lent: simple and supportive of the Lenten observance, inviting us into silence so that we might hear God.

           

Third: you will notice that a couple of the Mass parts will be sung in Latin. Why? First, because this is the universal language of the Church. We don’t just belong to the family which is St. Joseph Imperial, we belong to the family which is the Catholic Church. Catholic meaning universal. And our family’s universal language is Latin. And you’ll know what we are saying, because you have been saying the English all your life.

            A second reason: the difference in praying in this language alerts us to a reality which is greater than ourselves and our every-day language. Latin elevates the mind, forcing it to fast from the very American notion that we have to know and see everything. No, some things are mysterious, out-of-the-ordinary, beyond perception and comprehension—especially the Holy Mass. Lent is the perfect season to re-introduce ourselves to this sacred reality. This is not a return to the past, but a bringing forth of what the Second Vatican Council wanted.

            I will be talking more about that on my Wednesday lecture on February 20^th when I discuss the liturgy and the Second Vatican Council. I hope you can attend.

            Cast out into the deep this Lent. Be with Jesus as He is on the Cross. Love is found there—not in the shallow. In the deep. You have three days!

* Many of these ideas were taken from here 

The Holy Mass is God's Senior Project - A Homily for SLUH Seniors

This homily was given to Seniors at St. Louis University High School (my alma mater) on the occasion of their return from Senior Project. Senior Project is a month-long "practicum" where the men work at various non-profits and places of service where they assist with the poor, the young, and those in need of help.

            His beard had pieces of food in it. He was a poor man and his beard was long like a monk’s, salt-and-pepper and wiry. He was standing right in front of me and I couldn’t help but notice the food in his beard. It reminded me of grandfather’s miniature schnauzer after months of eating without a bath. But this man was not a dog; he was a man. And he was full of glory—glory hidden behind an appearance that I found startling and offensive to my nature.

            I was feeding the poor in New Orleans at a church kitty-corner to the Superdome. This was before Hurricane Katrina had hit. I was helping with Habitat for Humanity and working at a food pantry there during the early summer. It was a kind of “Senior Project” for me. But unlike the Senior Project here at SLUH, this one was not mandated; I had freely chosen to serve. But in full disclosure, I didn’t really choose service per se. I chose to go because it was New Orleans and friends and getting away from St. Louis. It was going to be fun.

            Four years prior, I had done Senior Project at SLUH and I had chosen a fun project to do: I was part of the jazz band that would travel to various schools and nursing homes and play. And it was fun. But I missed out: I never became vulnerable to anyone. And because I never became vulnerable, I never was hurt and my heart was never stretched. Ultimately, I never grew in love. This wasn’t SLUH’s fault. It was my own.

So, you see, when I encountered this man and his beard, I was startled. I was vulnerable.

… And he was white.

 Ordinarily, this wouldn’t matter. But it did. I hadn’t been pushed face-to-face with a poor

white man before. I grew up in Sunset Hills. You don’t see many poor white men there. I was being stretched.

            Again I looked at the man, and this time I saw someone. People ask: “Did you see Jesus? Did you see God?” No…. I saw myself.  In the man’s exterior appearances—his poverty, his need for food and for a shower—I saw myself. I saw the state of my soul.

            This startled me. How could I be poor? I have a Washington University education! I graduated from SLUH! I have a good job at a pharmacy and I have good friends and good family. I have everything I want. … I’m the one who showered this morning…

            When I returned home, I came here and talked with a Jesuit priest about it (it was Father Knapp who is teaching now at the seminary). He asked me: how’s your relationship with Jesus?

… I was four years removed from SLUH…  I had lost so much of my faith. I had forgotten about Kairos. I had forgotten what I learned in so many theology classes. I had started to doubt the God who I had received at so many Masses like this one. And I had stopped praying. I was spiritually poor and my soul needed a good shower and a bite to eat. I needed divine love.

            That day, I learned that it was far worse to be spiritually poor than to be materially poor. That man with the beard… we can probably bet that he prayed. He probably prayed each night for protection against those who might beat him up. And because he didn’t know where his next meal might come from, he probably prayed for that too. He was materially poor, but richer than me. And that’s what matters—especially since, when you die, you can’t take your stuff with you.

Love, or its lack—that is all you take.

           

            I think back on that moment in gratitude. And after years of doing so, I have noticed something more: I didn’t simply feed another man that day. It was Jesus who fed me. I was dressed as the rich; He was dressed as the poor. I thought I was serving; but in reality, I was the one being served.

            It seems to always happen that way, too. I have had the opportunity to serve the poor throughout Mexico and Mississippi and Alabama and even with the Missionaries of Charity—not in India, but here in North St. Louis—and each time I return home from a day of service, I can’t help but have that strange sense of gratitude in the heart that I have received more than I have given. To think: Jesus is feeding the poor through me and, in allowing Him to do so, He feeds me as well. In allowing myself to become vulnerable in service, Love Himself responds with greater vulnerability and pours forth into my open heart divine Love.

           

            Can we not speak of the Holy Mass in such ways? Is not the Holy Mass God’s “senior project,” if you will? Here He comes to feed us, to heal our soul, to open our hearts. And does this not require that we be vulnerable?—to admit that we are poor, that we need Him, that without Him nothing matters. We could have everything we want—a degree from WashU, a certificate from SLUH, a great job, a fine family—but without Him, we have nothing.

            And so He comes to feed us. The glory of God hidden in appearance we might find poor.

And more so than yours, God’s Senior Project changes the world.

A final thought:

            A few years after New Orleans, I began to frequent the Eucharistic Adoration chapel at St. Catherine’s in south county. Many people would come in and out of the chapel, some young, but mostly old. “Old ladies.” I went to the adoration to talk to the Lord, knowing I needed to be fed. One night as I was getting up to leave, one of the old ladies grabbed me by the arm and she looked at me and said, “Son, it is good to see you here.”

            I didn’t realize it at first, but now I know what she said: as I was being fed by Christ that night, Jesus was feeding this woman through me. Just my being there strengthened her faith.

            My brothers, the world needs men of faith today. Your fidelity and your presence to prayer, to Sunday Mass, to being there and being seen praying—while you are fed there, it feeds us and it strengthens us too. In such ways then, our faith and our service are inseparable and they meet here: at this holy altar where God comes to meet us; this “Senior Project,” this Holy Mass.

            Let us approach and be fed and so change the world!

Homily for 2nd Sunday in OT - Pouring Wine into the Heart

Consenting to the Miraculous

Whenever Jesus does a miracle, he is reinforcing an important teaching and oftentimes pointing out a spiritual reality. So, for example, you might recall when Jesus heals the paralytic. The physical reality was that the man was paralyzed; the spiritual reality is that the people around him did not have faith. And so Jesus heals the paralyzed man to reinforce the teaching that Jesus is the God who comes to heal and forgive-- and to bring us a new life that rises and walks in faith.

So what is the problem that Jesus comes to heal today? Mary points it out: "They have no wine." On the physical level, the party is without wine. But on the deeper, spiritual level, something else is going on. This is where Jesus' and Mary's dialogue reveals to us the key about what is going on. After Mary tells Jesus that they have run out of wine, Jesus responds, saying:

Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not come.

This sounds harsh. Who calls their mother "Woman"? But Jesus is not being rude to mom. He is actually lifting her up and revealing her identity to us. How so? Well... Do you remember how Adam responds when God creates Eve? Adam says:

This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called.... Woman.

Jesus is drawing us to the beginning, to the time when Adam and Eve-- the first married couple, if you will-- lived in union with God. But, we know that they chose their own will over His and fell. Their relationship with God was devastated.

This is what Mary means when she says, "They have no wine." Not only is she pointing out a physical reality. She is also pointing out a spiritual state: this marriage is lacking divine love. Humanity needs grace! In this way, then, the married couple at Cana isn't just a random couple at Cana; nor is it simply an analogy for married couples now. In a deep way, the couple at Cana refer to Adam and Eve and thus to all humanity.

But when Jesus calls Mary "Woman," He does so not only to draw us to remember Eve, but to remember the prophecy that it would be a woman who would help bring about the healing between God and man-- a woman who would be clothed with the sun and crowned with the stars" (cf. Gen 3:15 and Rev 12:1ff)

And so we reach Jesus' question for Mary:

How does your concern affect me? My hour has not come.

What does this mean? Well, we must ask: How does Jesus reconcile God and man? How does he bring reunion? Well all know the answer: it is by way of the Cross. When Jesus talks about His "hour," He is talking about His passion and death-- a passion that begins at His Last Supper in the Upper Room when He lifts the chalice full of wine and says, "This is my blood."

So, when Jesus says "How does your concern affect me? My hour has not come," He is in turn asking Mary: Mother, do you want me to begin my hour, then? Do you will that my blood should be poured for their salvation? Do you realize what you are asking?

Mary, in turn, does not even respond to Jesus. She simply says to the headwaiter, "Do whatever He tells you." She is consenting and, wonderfully, by not directly responding to Jesus, she humbly surrenders complete control to Her Son. She is saying, "Yes, Jesus, but only as You will." Hence she tells the headwaiter: "Do whatever He tells you." I surrender all to Him.


The Superabundance of Wine

Here, we can turn to the miracle itself. Water is poured into six stone jugs which hold twenty to thirty gallons. If we do the math, we realize that, once the water is changed into wine, we have anywhere between 120-180 gallons of wine. ... That's what we call a party.

This is interesting to me. ...  Jesus could have just given the couple enough wine to get through the night. But He gives them a superabundance of wine. Physically, there is no way that this party could consume that much wine. And if they did, they would be intoxicated, inebriated!

... But this isn't just a physical reality, remember. This is also a spiritual reality. Jesus is pouring forth His grace. And His grace is superabundant.

Do you remember how the jugs were filled? They were filled "to the brim."

And do you remember the quality of the wine? It was the best. It wasn't cheap wine. It wasn't weak grace. It was the best. The tastiest. And there was a superabundance of it!

This is where I see the connection to the second reading and the key to all of these readings. In that reading we heard about the spiritual gifts. And where were these gifts first given? On Pentecost. It is there that the apostles are gathered. And who is gathered with them? Yes, The Woman! Mary! It is also the place where they had celebrated the Last Supper. Yes: Pentecost and the Last Supper happen in the same place: in the Upper Room.

So, there they all are, in the place where the First Mass was celebrated and Jesus had taken the chalice full of wine which He had turned into Blood. And it's now Pentecost and the Holy Spirit now rushes upon them all. They are filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit's superabundant graces-- His divine Love. And what happens? They emerge from the Upper Room "singing a new song to the Lord, announcing his salvation, day after day; telling his glory among the nations; and among all peoples, his wondrous deeds" (cf. Ps 96, the Psalm of the Mass).

They are so filled with joy and with God's love that the people who see this start to wonder what's wrong with this merry group. And what does that people conclude? They say that the Apostles are "drunk (filled) with new wine" (Acts 2:13). <see footnote 1>

Yes, as the Psalmist tells us, this wine, the Holy Spirit "gladdens the heart" (Ps 104:15)


The Marriage in the Eucharist: Saving the Best Until Now

And why all this gladness? Why the party? Well, that bring us to the last detail of today's miracle. The miracle and gladness comes at a wedding. Jesus could have done this miracle anytime that He wanted, but He does it at a wedding. Why? Well, this too points to a spiritual reality. And what is the reality? We hear it in our first reading:

As a young man married a virgin,
your Builder shall marry you;
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride
so shall your God rejoice in you.

The marriage is between God and Us. He wants to pour His superabundant love into our hearts and be united to us. The Church, says Paul, is the bride of Christ (cf Eph 5). This marriage is brought to fulfillment when on the Cross Jesus pours out His blood-- the Blood of the New and Eternal Covenant (that is, wedding vows). And then, from the Cross, He cries out: "It is finished!" Or, in Latin: "Consummatus est." That is: it is consummated. <see footnote 2>

And where does this all come together? Here, in the Eucharist. It is here that God offers the ecstasies of this heavenly marriage to us. He says, "Take... this is my body... this is my blood.... Drink...." The Father has saved the best wine until now-- because this wine is Jesus Himself.

And remember the superabundance! Just one morsel of this Eucharist, just one sip of the chalice, this is enough to gladden your heart. It comes with it the superabundance of God's love and an offer of union with Him. This is divine marriage and its joys are offered to all-- to the single people out there, to married couples, to priests. We are all invited to divine marriage with God and its wedding feast. 

Yes, my friends: there is enough wine of God's grace for you. If you are dry in your prayer life, God comes to refresh it-- He who thirsts for you. If you are dry in your marriage, see in the Eucharist the source for renewed passion and reconciliation. If you are lonely and longing for love: behold, your Love, here he comes! (cf. Song of Songs 2:8)

And Mary our Mother is at your side, imploring once more to our Lord, specifically on your behalf: “Jesus, my child has no wine.”

But now they do! Yes, He has saved the best wine until now.




FOOTNOTES:

< 1 >  Fun with scripture: When Hannah is pleading before the Lord in prayer (see 1 Sam 2), Eli the priest mistakes her to be drunk. But in fact she is praying in the Spirit, full with His love. Kind of related: In Greek, old wine was called "chrestos" which meant that is was mellow or smooth. Jesus uses this word in referring to his yoke which is easy (cf. Mt 11:30). That is to say, as one priest points out, that "it did not chafe, it was well-fitting and accommodated to the wearer." It is this word that is translated as "kindness"-- one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit-- that is, an attitude that goes beyond mere justice or what is required and is to be, rather, something wider and more accommodating. Kindness, therefore, is a Spirit-produced goodness which meets the needs of others and avoids harshness-- and it meets the needs of others often through prayer.

< 2 > More fun: When Jesus promises the Apostles at His Ascension that He will be "with them until the close of the age" (Mt 28:20), there is more than just Jesus returning when "everything's done" here on earth. The Latin reveals this. It says, "et ecce vobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem seculi"-- translation: and behold, I will be with you all days, even until the consummation of the world. Here is revealed the promise of consummation which comes at the end, but of which we receive a foretaste at every Holy Mass. Scot Hahn draws this point home (and its connection to the Book of Revelation) very nicely in his book, The Lamb's Supper.