DAILY HOMILIES #wedding

Just as new wine can only be stored in new wineskins, we can only call ourselves Christians when we are born again. To be a Christian is to live a new life. As St. Paul says, “If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation, everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). You cannot be new wine in an old wineskin. You cannot continue the practices and lifestyle of persons who do not believe in God’s existence while claiming to be a Christian. You cannot serve both God and mammon. If you assume you can pretend, one day your “skin” will burst, and the whole world will know the truth. Be a genuine Christian, a new wine in a new wineskin.

In the wedding feast at Cana, Jesus revealed his true identity as God, who has power over the whole of creation. By agreeing to turn water into wine at a wedding, Jesus, who (during His temptations) refused to turn stones into bread, teaches us the importance of marriage, his love for us as our Groom, and his respect for Mary, his Mother.

Today, we celebrate the fact that Mary intercedes for Africa. When Herod sought to kill the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph took shelter in Africa. At a time when our continent is faced with turmoil and suffering under the yoke of neo-colonialism, we need Mother Mary’s intercession more than ever.

Why would tenants be bold enough to kill the servants sent to collect their rent? Why would guests turn around to kill the servants sent to remind them of the banquet? These parables highlight injustice and wickedness in people's hearts, yet Jesus is speaking directly to us in them because we are those tenants; we are the guests. This brings us to our lessons for today.

In the wedding feast at Cana, Jesus revealed his true identity as God who has power over the whole of creation. By agreeing to turn water into wine at a wedding, Jesus, who (during His temptations), refused to turn stones to bread teaches us the importance of marriage, his love for us as our Groom, and his respect for Mary his Mother. Jesus gave the couple the gift of a miracle teaching us to generously offer ourselves as gifts to others.