The readings for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C focus on the Church as the bride of Christ.
In the first reading we hear that God's people are "espoused" to Him and called "My Delight". The psalm is a song of praise. In the second reading we learn that our varied gifts are all manifestations of the Spirit. The gospel tells of Jesus' first miracle where he changed water to wine at the weeding at Cana.
Daily Mass Readings for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
- First Reading –Isaiah 62:1-5: "As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you."
- Responsorial Psalm –Psalm 96 : "Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations."
- Second Reading – 1 Corinthians 12:4-11: "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit."
- Gospel - John 2:1-11: "Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now."
Themes for the Readings
- God's love for the Church
- Sacrament of Matrimony
- Using our gifts
- Intercessory prayer
- Mary our Mother
See extended theme ideas and reflection questions at the bottom of this post.
Resources
Mother Mary
This lesson plan on the Wedding at Cana will help youth understand the role of Mary as our mother and an intercessor for us. We will also discuss the importance of the phrase “Do whatever he tells you”.
A Song to God
This prayer of praise is based on Psalm 96, which is the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday.
Sacrament Scavenger Hunt
This sacrament scavenger hunt introduces some of the symbols and concepts of the sacraments in a fun way.
The Memorare
This is an intercessory prayer which entrusts our petitions to our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary. In it, we ask her to pray for our needs.
Four Rules for Discernment
This is a good video to use with a discussion about marriage or vocations in general.
Quotes and Social Media Graphic
Feel free to download and use with reference to young-catholics.com
The first sign Jesus accomplished was not an extraordinary healing or something prodigious in the temple of Jerusalem, but an action that responded to a simple and concrete need of common people. This is how God loves to act.
Pope Francis
Homilies and Reflections
The Wedding Banquet that Overflows with Wine
Bishop Barron explains how weddings and wine are connected to God's love for us.
The Significance of the Wedding at Cana
The response of Jesus to Mary's request that he "do something" demonstrates their shared knowledge of Jesus' Messianic mission.
What Is Feminine Authority
Jesus performs his first miracle as a response to Mary's request. As the Mother of God she has been entrusted with aiding Christ in His salvific work.
More Themes
We can view this miracle as an act of love. Instead, it occurs as an outpouring of love to save these family friends from a difficult situation. In the same way, we must let the love of God flow through us to serve the needs of others.
Jesus knows the love of the God the Father. Throughout his ministry he shared this love with others. He told them of the Father's love and even expressed it as a commandment. He demonstrated love through the washing of the feet and through his ultimate act of sacrificial love on the cross.
So Jesus saves the wedding hosts from the embarrassment of running out of wine. This first miracle was not an occasion to draw attention to himself but to share the love of God. In the same way, we must share the love we have received from God.
This gospel also points to intercessory prayer, especially through Mary. The wedding hosts have a problem and Mary intercedes. She asks Jesus to do something and he does. In the same way, we should ask Mary to ask her son to help us in our predicaments.
The line "Do whatever he tells you" also stands out in this gospel. We must cooperate in God's saving work. Otherwise God's answers to our prayers might not come to fruition. In particular, the gospel in conjunction with the second reading makes us think about how Jesus is telling us to use our gifts for him.
Reflection Questions
- How can I share the love God has shown to me with others?
- What might have happened if the servers had ignored Jesus' instructions to fill the water vessels?
- What is my relationship with our Blessed Mother? Am I comfortable asking her for assistance?
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