In the 1992 Disney blockbuster film, Aladdin, a young
street rat named Aladdin courts Princess Jasmine with the offer of a magic
carpet ride. Skeptical, Princess Jasmine
asks, “Is it safe?” Aladdin extends his
hand and replies, “Sure, do you trust me?”
Trust me when I say that trust is the key to a successful marriage. And that’s the message of the Gospel passage
that Nadia and Ron have chosen for their wedding today.
In our Gospel, we hear
the familiar story of the Wedding at Cana.
When Mary noticed that the hosts had run out of wine, she turned to
Jesus for help. Though he initially
demurred, Mary trusted that Jesus would make everything right and instructed
the servants: “Do whatever he tells you.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Jesus performed his first miracle; he changed water into wine and saved
the hosts from disgrace.
It’s fitting that Jesus
should perform his first miracle at a wedding, and not just because it’s a
miracle that married couples can live with each other day after day. It’s fitting because marriage is a beautiful
sacrament instituted by God from the very beginning of creation. “The Church attaches great importance to
Jesus’ presence at the wedding at Cana.
She sees in it the confirmation of the goodness of marriage and the proclamation
that . . . marriage will be an
efficacious sign of Christ’s presence.”[1] Jesus blessed
the institution of marriage with his presence at the Wedding at Cana, just as
he blesses your marriage today with his presence. As Pope Francis said, “What happened at Cana
two thousand years ago, happens in reality at every wedding feast. It is the presence of the Lord . . . that will
render your marriage full and profoundly true.”[2]
There’s a catch,
though. While Jesus makes himself
present to every married couple, you have to take advantage of it. You
have to welcome him into your marriage, you have to entrust your marriage to
his divine wisdom and grace. Our Psalm teaches
us that those who trust the Lord and walk in his ways are blessed. Likewise, Saint Paul tells us in our second
reading that when we do what we’ve learned and receive what we’ve heard from
Jesus, “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your
hearts and your minds.” And trust me,
there are plenty of times in a marriage when you should guard your hearts, your
minds and sometimes, even your mouths – Nadia.
Nadia and Ron, if you want a happy marriage, of course, you have to
trust each other; but you also have to welcome Jesus into your marriage, trust him,
and do whatever he tells you.
Think about it, you’re
not getting married to solve all of our problems, you’re getting married to face
your problems together – forever. The
marriage covenant, then, should give you hope for the future – a hope that you’ll
never be alone no matter what you may face.
“The more you entrust yourselves to the Lord, the more your love will be
'forever', able to renew itself and to overcome every difficulty”[3]
– even putting up with Matt, (a.k.a. Jeff).
Trust me when I say that if you trust Jesus and do whatever he tells
you, Christ will dwell with you, give you strength to take up your crosses and
follow him, to rise again after you have fallen, to forgive each other, to bear
each other’s burdens, and to love each other with supernatural, tender, and
fruitful love.”[4]
Readings: Sirach 26: 1-4, 13-26; Psalm 128; Philippians 4: 4-9; John 2: 1-11
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