13. THE LIFE OF JESUS: SECOND LUMINOUS MYSTERY - THE MIRACLE OF CANA

APPETIZER:  "The signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has sent him. They invite belief in him. To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what they ask. So miracles strengthen faith in the One who does his Father's works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God. But his miracles can also be occasions for "offence"; they are not intended to satisfy people's curiosity or desire for magic. Despite his evident miracles some people reject Jesus; he is even accused of acting by the power of demons." (CCC #548)

MAIN COURSE: When Pope St. John Paul II gave us the Luminous Mysteries, he chose the Wedding Feast of Cana both because it shows Mary's intercession for us with her Son and because - as the first miracle of Jesus- it stands for ALL of the Lord's miracles to come. So as we peer into the life of Jesus though the door of this mystery, we will look at his miracles in general.

The working of miracles was an essential aspect of Jesus’ public ministry. It was also a sign prophesied in the Old Testament about what the Messiah would do for the people. The great prophet Isaiah foretold that in the days of the Messiah "...the eyes of the blind shall see, and the ears of the deaf be opened; Then the lame shall leap like a stag, and the mute tongue sing for joy." (Isaiah 35:5-6)  According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus was known by the local people as a “miracle-worker,” a person who healed the sick, raised the dead, and cast out demons.

If Jesus didn’t perform miracles, it would have made it much more difficult to convince others that he was the Promised One. There had been others who claimed to be sent from God as his Messiah during the 1st century but none of them turned water into wine or restored sight to the blind. Jesus miracles, however, were not simply proofs of his divine nature or authority.  They were also powerful and unmistakable signs that the Kingdom of God, foretold of old, was bursting into human history.

Just as each of the four evangelists (gospel-writers) presented the person and mission of Jesus with a particular viewpoint that was meaningful to their local Churches, so too did they do so with their recounting of his miracles.  

• Matthew who wrote primarily for Hebrew Christians uses the miracles to show how Jesus is ushering in the Kingdom of God's Messiah. 
• Mark wrote the miracle stories to show Jesus as the Almighty Power and Action of God, something that  made a lot of sense to his Roman-based Christian community.
• Luke, whose reporting on Jesus was for Gentiles (Non-Jews), highlights the miracles  as  expressions of God's Mercy which is poured out upon everyone who asks.
• John, whose Gospel is a deep meditation on the person and mission of Jesus, chose just 7 miracles and called them Signs. Signs point to Someone or Something. John’s account of Jesus’ miracles point to the divine nature of Jesus the Eternal Son of God, who has come to destroy the works of the devil and give those who trust in him everlasting life. 

We don't have enough time in this Bitesize Catechism is serve up all of the miracles of Jesus.  They span so many different needs and experiences of our human condition.  There were miracles over nature, miracles of healing, and miracles of spiritual deliverance and exorcism. If you wish to read about these or reflect on one or the other them,  go this link where you will find a handy guide to all of the Gospel miracle stories: 

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/dictionary/index.cfm?id=34899

But now here is something that shocks many Christians: At the Last Supper, Jesus himself said that WE (his disciples) would work miracles just as he did or even greater (see Scripture quote below)!  How can this be? Because, after going back to God the Father,  he would send the Holy Spirit into the hearts of those who believe and this Spirit is the very power God at work in us. Sadly, over the centuries Catholics by and large have come to disbelieve this OR explain it away as meaning that this promise was only meant for those whom we call "Saints". 

But if you read the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament, you will see that this is exactly what happened.  It was quite expected that the spreading of the Gospel and Kingdom of God was to be accompanied by signs and wonders that would show forth the truth of what the Christians were saying about Jesus.  The Acts records miracles just like those of the Gospels: healing, exorcisms, power over nature, raising the dead, etc.  And if you read the writings the early Christians in the first few centuries after this, you will see that they truly believed and expected that Christians would work miracles just like Christ. And because they trusted in these words of Jesus, they did work them!

The Resurrection of Jesus on the First Easter Sunday was the greatest miracle of them all.  Besides being the ultimate sign or proof of his divinity, it also shows that God was truly with and acted through this "man called Jesus" (from the viewpoint of just his humanity).  The Resurrection is a sign that death is conquered. The Resurrection is a sign that the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross was accepted by God has having obtained the forgiveness of sin. The Resurrection is a sign that eternal life is REAL. Jesus rose with a real glorified body. He ate and spoke with others. He interacted with his friends. The Resurrection shows us that life after death is a REAL existence.  After bodily death, our souls will continue on in a real life that is interpersonal and communal along with all others who have trusted in Jesus.  Then when the time has come for Christ to bring creation and human history to its conclusion, we will receive back our bodies just as Jesus did, but they will be transformed, glorious and  awesome!  This will be his eternal unending miracle!

DOGGIE BAG: Here are a few things for you to take away for your spiritual snacking throughout the day:

Pope Francis Quote: "Miracles still happen today. But in order to allow the Lord to carry them out we must pray with courage to overcome that feeling of disbelief that dwells in the heart of every man, even in men of faith." (May 20, 2013)

From our Catholic Tradition: The Miracle Prayer.  This prayer is promoted by the religious order called the Servants of Mary (aka Servites, founded by 7 saints in 13th century Italy).  it is called a Miracle Prayer not because it works miracles per se, but because it is meant to help the pray-er to reach such a deep authentic personal relationship with Christ that he or she will come to have that trust in him that opens us up to become instruments of the miraculous action of God. 

Lord Jesus, I come before you, just as I am, I am sorry for my sins, I repent of my sins, please forgive me. In your Name, I forgive all others for what they have done against me. I renounce Satan, the evil spirits and all their works. I give you my entire self, Lord Jesus, now and forever. I invite you into my life, Jesus. I accept you as my Lord, God and Savior. Heal me, change me, strengthen me in body, soul, and spirit.  Come Lord Jesus, cover me with your Precious Blood, and fill me with your Holy Spirit. I love you Lord Jesus. I praise you Jesus. I thank you Jesus. I shall follow you every day of my life. Amen.

The Servites give the following instruction when distributing the above prayer: "Say this prayer faithfully, no matter how you feel. When you come to the point where you sincerely mean each word with all your heart, Jesus will change your whole life in a very special way. You will see."

SCRIPTURE VERSE TO MEMORIZE: “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." (John 14:12)