Water Into Wine

No one will dispute the place of water in our lives; without it we cannot survive beyond four days, plants cannot grow, the earth becomes parched and lifeless; we use it to cleanse everything from ourselves to our vehicles, our dishes to our clothes. A glass of cold spring water satisfies our thirst and somewhat our taste, but a taste nothing lie the taste of a fine wine.  Wine is a step up, for sure.  It is interesting that Jesus takes ordinary water and lifts it to a new level.  St. John refers to his miracle as a "sign"...and looking deeper into it, we see it as a sign of what we become through baptism; the newborn baby, as beautiful as he or she is, through baptism is raised to a new level as a child of God; the water becomes wine.  As baptized Christians, our ordinary acts should be done with the festive joy that surrounds a glass of wine.
Of further interest is that the water becomes wine at the instigation of Mary, who plays a major role with Jesus and the servants:  "Do whatever he tells you." (Jn 2: 5).  Pope Francis and our own Marist Superior General, Br. Emili Turu speak of a Marian Church...one of compassion and attention to the small details of daily life, such as assuring that wedding guests have enough wine to drink.  As Marists, it is our place with Mary to make this Marian Church a reality...by our actions to attend to the needs of people with compassion and human sensitivity, thus turning the water of need or routine into the joy of fine wine.
Bro. Rene