Friday, February 5, 2021
Feast of Saint Agatha, Virgin & Martyr
“Unless you are willing to do the ridiculous, God will not do the miraculous. When you have God, you don’t have to know everything about it; you just do it,”
Mother Angelica, Foundress of EWTN
Dear Friend,
The life of St. John stands apart from those of the other Apostles in several notable ways. He is the youngest of the Twelve; the only one who stays faithful to the Christ on Good Friday; the only one not to be subsequently killed; he also had the unique distinction of being “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7; and 21:20).
In similar fashion, St. John’s Gospel also stands apart from the three other gospels which chart the life of Jesus Christ. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke speak about the Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven as the subject of Jesus’ preaching. In the Gospel of St. John, however, Jesus presents himself as the King and the Kingdom. This is John’s aim. As he states: “these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). This is why, uniquely, St. John refers to the miracles of Christ as "signs", each being intended to point to Jesus himself as eternal life and thus seeking faith in those around him.
In total, St. John's Gospel contains seven such "signs". Undoubtedly, his retelling of these miraculous moments is infused with the unique eye-witness testimony, and prayerful maternal perspective, of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who lived out her final years in the care of John having been entrusted to him by her dying son at Calvary (John 19:27). In this Friday Memo, I would like us to focus upon the first of these “signs”: The wedding feast at Cana, a village which sits about four miles to the north of Nazareth (John 2:1-11).
“Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him” (John 2:11). Jesus had been reluctant to work any miracle at this point, telling his mother that his hour had not yet come. However, he had already gathered his disciples, who were present for this wedding, and perhaps Mary was wondering, “What is he waiting for?”
Jesus did come through and answered the need. In fact, he exceeded it. He produced an abundance of a vintage wine for the wedding guests. We, hearing this story, are usually struck by the same fact which the headwaiter said to the bridegroom: “you have kept the good wine until now” (John 2:10). Yet, our focus must be drawn away from the wine and onto the one who is the true bridegroom, Jesus.
This is why that concluding line to our story is so important. This sign was really all about his disciples and their coming to believe in him. At least, that is John’s purpose in this gospel account. Jesus’ care for the newly married couple, his response to his mother, his miraculous abundance of wine, while all good things, are not the real aim of this “sign.” We are told at the beginning of this story that it happened on the third day (John 2:1), a clear allusion to the future resurrection. Jesus not only provides for far more than we can imagine; Jesus himself is far more than we can imagine.
Sisters and brother, we are the disciples of Jesus. We think we know what we can expect of God and of his servant, Jesus. Yet, we are clueless. Jesus will always be far more than we expect. We need to allow ourselves to be surprised by our God, to be open to the unimaginable. And that is what is being offered to us if only we too “begin to believe in him.”
Assuring you of my prayers, I am sincerely yours in Christ,
+ Earl
Bishop of Lansing
Watch: Meet Diocese of Lansing seminarian, James Bonar. 22-year-old James grew up in the parish of Christ the King in Ann Arbor. He first considered the call to the sacred priesthood, however, during his time as a student at Michigan Tech in Houghton and, especially, through his involvement with the university parish, St Albert the Great.
“One powerful moment in my discernment was the Fellowship of Catholic University Students’ SEEK Conference in 2017. During the big adoration night, I strongly felt Jesus asking me if I was willing to follow Him and to trust in His plan for my life rather than my own,” recalls James.
“He broke through that night and since then I have felt invited to pursue seminary to discern more clearly what exactly is Christ’s call for my life?”
Following graduation from Michigan Tech, James was accepted as a student for the sacred priesthood by the Diocese of Lansing and is now a student at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit on his path to the sacred priesthood, Deo volente.
Please keep James in your prayers in the months and years to come. Saint Charles Borromeo, patron of seminarians, pray for him.
Watch: Beginning in Advent 2020, Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing has been leading people on a day-by-day journey through the Holy Bible. To subscribe go to Bishop's Year of the Bible click here. It's not too late!
This week the Year of the Bible reached Chapter 6 of the Gospel of St. John. So what is God saying to us in this passage?
To help us prayerfully ponder that question, here is a short reflection by popular Catholic writer and speaker, Steve Ray of catholicconvert.com. who is also a parishioner at Christ the King Parish in Ann Arbor: