JESUS WAS AT CANA TOO. AND THE CELEBRATION CONTINUED!

The table looked big enough. Then someone asks if he can bring a friend, a couple arrives that you thought couldn't come and look for a chair in another room. The glasses are different, the bread is cut again, a person laughs already before finishing the story.

There are nights that start like this. With the pleasure of being there, some little unexpected and the feeling that the house is more alive. In the middle of things to do, you almost forget that the party was the reason you prepared everything.

Also Jesus, in the Gospel, is invited to a wedding feast. His mother and his disciples are in Cana. And right there John places the beginning of the signs through which Jesus manifests his glory and arouses faith.

When something is missing right on the most beautiful

John 2,1–11 says that wine is missing during the wedding. Mary is aware of this and reports it to Jesus. They follow the dialogue between them, the directions to the servants and the water in the six stone amphorae that becomes wine. Those who run the banquet recognize the quality of the banquet without knowing where it came from.

The Evangelist looks beyond the unexpected solved: this sign reveals Jesus. The feast is the place where the disciples begin to recognize his glory. In the Angelus of 16 January 2022, Francis emphasized the love of God that reaches the concrete need of the spouses and the joy of that day.

Reading this page can also open a personal question. When we think of faith, do we think only of what we have to face seriously? Or do we let the pleasure of a full house, good news, an evening that we would like to have lasted?

Joy has very concrete details

A successful party doesn't just depend on the menu. There is a place for those who arrive later, a range suitable for those who have different needs, attention to those who do not know anyone. Small things until you're the one who doesn't know where to sit.

Sometimes we prepare everything with so much commitment that, when the guests arrive, we are already exasperated. We keep seeing the napkin out of place and losing the conversation. We can see it, support for a moment what we have in our hands and let ourselves be helped.

Splitting preparation can also become part of the meeting. One person brings something, another setup, someone takes care of the next. Not all houses are spacious and not all periods allow you to invite so many people. A party can start with two dishes and time to eat together.

You don't have to buy a night to remember

There are invitations that are anxious even before arriving: the gift, the dress, the restaurant, the fear of not being able to return. Thinking about the joy of others means taking these aspects seriously too, without asking anyone to publicly explain how much he can spend.

You can propose something simple in a natural way. A shared lunch, a snack, a walk with a stop. Sometimes just say the cost before you decide together, instead of assuming that it's good for everyone.

Generosity can be in the organization, in the time offered, in making it easy to participate. If you get an invitation, you can bring your presence without having to make up for it with something expensive. Loving yourself also includes learning to welcome.

There is room for those who today have different feelings

A person may be happy to see you and go through a difficult day at the same time. You can accept an invitation and prefer a chair a little quiet. He can laugh and then feel the need to come home early.

Partying together requires this freedom. Good humor is not distributed like napkins. You can offer company and let each one find his own way to be there, without constantly asking why he speaks little.

That doesn't take anything away from the beauty of the evening. Maybe it makes it more habitable. Those who feel respected must not spend all their energy on looking different than they are. And those who are happy can share something without fear of having to solve every sadness.

The Gospel can also enter here

Cana does not guarantee that each of our programs will have a perfect ending. The sign holds a revelation of Jesus that must be taken seriously, and not reduced to a council to organize dinners. Our reflection on the feast comes from that page, keeping this distinction.

You can read the song before a meeting you care about, or go back when the house is empty. Perhaps you will remember Mary who realizes a lack, the servants who participate, the disciples who see something new.

Then you can look at the table. There is still some crumbs, a chair to put back, a forgotten glass. Something simple and precious happened: for a while you joined us. Even this joy can enter into your graces to God.