The Wedding at Cana – From a Sermon by Faustus of Riez, bishop

 

Stone water jars. Image credit: Jerusalem Perspective

“To those who only see with the outward eye, all these events at Cana are strange and wonderful; to those who understand, they are also signs. For, if we look closely, the very water tells us of our rebirth in Baptism. One thing is turned into another from within, and in a hidden way a lesser creature is changed into a greater. All this points to a hidden reality of our second birth. There water was suddenly changed; later it will cause a change in all people.”

The water in the jars is not less than it was before, but now begins to be what it had not been; so too the law is not destroyed by Christ’s coming, but is made better than it was.

When the wine fails, new wine is served: The wine of the old covenant was good, but the wine of the new is better.”

From a Sermon by Faustus of Riez, bishop - from the Office of Readings for Saturday before the Baptism of the Lord. Selected by Deacon Steve

Feast of the Holy Family: A Different Take on "Family"

 

by Fr. Cas Paulsen CMM

I have a different take on the meaning of "family". Here in South Africa, 60% of the families are single parent households. Children, more and more, find little or no love at home and run away. I think a new way of defining family is "where one is loved and accepted unconditionally, whether it is with fellow run-aways or druggies, under the bridge or around a fire in the field, or in a shared doorway. No questions asked, just, yes, come on in and join us. Here, we can share my blanket."

What do you think? Very few families today have the same experience as many of us have had. We pray for all of them and pray that they grow up learning how to transfer that unconditional love and acceptance to their new relationships as they grow older. And we pray God to bless those who try to bring some love into their lives.   What do you think?

- Fr. Cas Paulsen CMM.

Fr. Cas, born and ordained in the USA, has been a Marianhill missionary in South Africa since the late 1960s. 

Christmas Sounds and Smells

 

Things that have long stuck in my mind about the Christmas manger scene are the sounds and smells. Our mangers are dusted and clean when we put them out, but any place that has animals will have the sounds and, especially, the strong smells that go with God's creatures such as cows, donkeys and chickens: urine and, of course, poop patties and droppings. One chicken produces approximately 8–11 pounds of manure monthly!

An enjoyable Christmas carol that our family has enjoyed since the kids were in kindergarten was each person choosing the sound of an animal and then all of us making our animal noise at the same time. The delightful cacophony would go on for as long as everyone was smiling and laughing. In my opinion, I make a particularly good turkey gobbling sound! Yes, I believe this is a Christmas carol that gives glory to the Saviour whose birth we celebrate each Christmas.

O Radiant Dawn,

splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:

come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the

shadow of death.

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:

come and save humanity, whom you formed from the dust!

O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:

come to save us, Lord our God!