Daily Scripture, January 19, 2025
Scripture:
Isaiah 62:1-5
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
John 2:1-11
Reflection:
You have kept the good wine until now.
These are the words the headwaiter speaks to the bridegroom in today’s Gospel. While they were addressed on that day in history to the man who had gotten married, we can also understand them as being addressed to Jesus, the Bridegroom. They are words of surprise and confusion but also words of delight. Jesus has a way of evoking these responses in all who truly encounter Him. We come to Him filled with our own understanding and expectations. We have ideas about what we want Him to do or what He should do, and often, He defies those preconceived notions. He does something new. He does something confusing, challenging even. Yet, in the end, He does something better than we expected.
As St. Paul enumerates so eloquently in his first letter to the Corinthians, there are many gifts the Lord wants to give us in this life, but He gives them how and to whom He wills. We should be prepared to be surprised and even challenged by their appearance, but we should always be delighted.
Ultimately, there is one gift that Jesus wants to give to every one of His people, and this might be the biggest surprise of them all. As a bridegroom rejoices in his bride, He rejoices over us. God’s own joy… Is there any sweeter wine than that?
Megan Silas is a Lay Passionist at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.
Scripture: Jeremiah 23:5-8 Matthew 1:18-25 Reflection: “…I will raise up a righteous shoot to David… …Justice shall flourish …God is with us…” Have you ever gone out to » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Genesis 49:2,8-10 Matthew 1:1-17 Reflection: In eight days, Christians will again celebrate the miracle that forever changed the world. When God became one of us in Jesus, being born » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17a Matthew 21:23-27 Reflection: The Scripture for today’s Matthew’s periscope has a group of the Chief Priests and the Scribes, and the other Synoptics Mark and Luke » Continue Reading.
Third Sunday of Advent Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10 James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-11 Reflection: In our Gospel reading for Sunday (Matthew 11:2-11), we find that John the Baptist is now in » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 Matthew 17:9a, 10-13 Reflection: During the first week of Advent, I could feel myself tempted to turn away from faith, from love, so stretched after having » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Isaiah 48:17-19 Matthew 11:16-19 Reflection: Today’s Scripture comes from the section of Matthew’s Gospel where Jesus is beginning to get some serious opposition from the Jewish leadership. At the » Continue Reading.
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Scripture: Zechariah 2:14-17 or Revelation 11:9a, 12:1-6a, 10ab Luke 1:26-38 or Luke 1:39-47 Reflection: This is not a meditation but a commentary which » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Isaiah 40:25-31 Matthew 11:28-30 Reflection: Why is God often late? Consider: – Calamities took Job’s family and wiped out his possessions before God spoke with him. Late. – Except for » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-11 Matthew 18:12-14 Reflection: I’ve always struggled with the parable of the lost sheep. It’s partly because although it was everyday experience 2000 years ago, I’ve never tended » Continue Reading.
Scripture: Genesis 3:9-15, 20 Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 Luke 1:26-38 Reflection: Thoughts on Mary’s Immaculate Conception Imagine the experience of Mary being greeted by the angel Gabriel. A good translation says » Continue Reading.