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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

This Sunday’s Gospel takes us to Cana, a small village to the North of Nazareth. Today, it is really a suburb of its larger neighbour, a short distance by road. It was here that Jesus gave the gift of his first miracle, and there is a sense in which this event continues the theme of both the Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord – all of them are ‘showings’ to the world of the Saviour. Indeed, this is recognised in the Divine Office, the Prayer of the Church, in which – on the feast of the Epiphany, we find mention of all three events in one short text.

There is a real sense of ‘newness’ in the readings this Sunday. We have the newly married couple, the first of Jesus' miracles and, in the first reading, Isaiah enthuses – refuses to be silent – about the wonderful things that God does for His people.

In this Sunday’s second reading, St Paul, writes to the Corinthians about the gifts the Spirit gives. Here, too, there is a sense of newness. We always receive gifts as something new – we have shared in this experience in a small way over Christmas, and we know the joy in receiving these small gifts. How much greater the gifts of the Spirit. They are our prized possessions, not because we simply possess them, but because we are called to use these gifts for the building up of the Kingdom. We use them in service to others; in service to Christ Himself.  

Just as Jesus gave the wonderful new wine to the marriage feast, to the delight of the wedding party, so we receive the many gifts the Spirit gives, and we too rejoice. We must not leave them, as it were, ‘on the shelf’ simply to be looked at and admired. Let us use them – for this is the mark of discipleship in our service to Christ and His Church. Like Isaiah, let us not be silent about the wonderful things that God does for us and in us, through the person of Christ His Son, the Word made Flesh.  

With every blessing,

+Richard

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