Invite Jesus and you will not regret it

Sunday readings in brief: 2 C
Is 62:1-5; Ps 95(96); 1 Cor 12:4-11; Jn 2:1-11

Invite Jesus and you will not regret it

Dear friends, today is the second Sunday in Ordinary Time year C. The Ordinary Time is the season of learning about the Kingdom of God, Jesus being the teacher who interprets the prophets and the law for us. Our theme today is “Invite Jesus and you will not regret it”. If we keep Jesus close to us, he is ready to rescue us from all kinds of difficulties without any charges. The liturgical colour for this season is Green the colour of life and growth. We are invited to learn from Jesus and grow in our faith.

In the first reading, the promise of the new relationship between God and his people is compared to a marriage. Just as the bridegroom rejoices in his bride so God rejoices in his people and want always to be close to them. By baptism, we become of the household of God and this is a cause for great joy in heaven. The opposite is true when the baptized strays away from the household.

God has always done wonders in the lives of his people. However, very few of these wonders are published for others to be attracted and converted. The psalmists invites us to proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples. In our present times mobile phone technology, which has only become popular in the last few decades, has made communication so easy. One can connect with the world from anywhere. Today we are more informed of what is happening in all corners of the world most of it not so good. We are able to share our beautiful moments as well as our difficulties with people so far away. However, it is concerning that; the wonders of the kingdom of God are not so much published.

St. Paul reminds those who belong to the Kingdom of God that they have been endowed with different gifts not for self-prosperity but for the common good. “Common Good” is a concept in the Social Doctrine of the Church that refers to what is shared and beneficial to all the members of the given community. We cannot be “self-contained” in life. God himself did not intend that we become self-contained when he created us male and female. Human beings are meant to complete one another. For example, the doctor needs the nurse to perform his or her duties. Sometimes we are tempted to think that we can do all things by ourselves until we get sick and have to depend on the help of others.

The Gospel readings demonstrates to us the importance of inviting Jesus and Mary in our lives. The couple who had a wedding in Cana of Galilee invited Jesus as one of the guests in their party. Jesus went with his disciples and were enjoying the party until his mother interrupted him with a plea that the wine was over and many guests had not been served yet. You can imagine the magnitude of the situation and the embarrassment it would have been for the couple. Through the intercession of Mary, Jesus saved the situation but also he did not seek recognition for it.

Dear friends, who are the people around you currently and how, are they helping you to become a better person or accomplish your goals. Many times, I have met people who complain to me about their friends and how they are making life difficult for them. If someone in our life is making it difficult then he or she does not qualify to be a friend. You can swap those people with Jesus and see the difference. When Jesus is in our lives, we are not afraid of gossip, back-starving, poisoning, discouragement, being robbed, broken marriages, and frustrations in our ministry and many other calamities we face from having the wrong people in our lives.

It is our decision to make whom do we want in our lives. Is it People who keep discouraging and gossiping about us or Jesus who even after doing us so many huge favours does not seek recognition or anything in return except our love for one another?

Have a blessed Sunday.

Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD