Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 66

No more shall people call you “Forsaken, “
   or your land “Desolate, “
but you shall be called “My Delight, “
   and your land “Espoused.”
For the LORD delights in you
   and makes your land his spouse.
As a young man marries a virgin,
   your Builder shall marry you;
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride
   so shall your God rejoice in you.

With the songs of Christmas angels still ringing in our ears we set out to the deep of 2022 with an inaugural story of Jesus. At this point in the Gospel according to Saint John, Jesus is still largely unknown. Only John had seen the Holy Spirit descend upon him like a dove. A crowd heard John's testimony but only two disciples had left the Baptist to follow the Lord. Arriving in Cana, Jesus is the son of Mary, her escort at this public festivity. No one hears their conversation and when he changes the water to wine, only a few notice the miracle. 

And fewer see the sign. Those few are the faithful: Mary, the disciples, those who will hear the Gospel, you, and me. We are the witnesses who behold the Lamb of God. We are those who get the joke. We saw the Prankster direct the servants to fill the jars with water, and heard him instruct them to give some to the headwaiter. But our laughter is not because we get the joke; we're not laughing at the befuddled headwaiter and  the blindsided bridegroom. 

Rather, we rejoice with the wedding feast of the Lamb; and we know the Lord as the Bridegroom. If we laugh, it's at the sight of demons fleeing, and angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man. One day we'll laugh so loudly they'll scoff and think we're drunk on wine; but, in fact, we'll be intoxicated with the Holy Spirit of Pentecost. 

Our celebration today begins with Isaiah's happy announcement:

For Zion’s sake I will not be silent,

   for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,

until her vindication shines forth like the dawn

   and her victory like a burning torch.

The prophetic author of this passage, known as Trito-Isaiah, remembered the ancient glory of Jerusalem under the sovereign rule of David's descendants, her humiliation under Syrian and Babylonian armies, and her restoration as a tributary of the Persian Empire. Her promised vindication as the City of God has neither been forgotten nor fulfilled, but it will come. 

They also remember the prophet Hosea's identifying Israel as God's spouse. She may be unfaithful and punished for it; but she is loved nonetheless. Jerusalem will be vindicated before all the nations when the Lord restores her former glory. 

The Catholic Church, individually and collectively, should not hesitate to invoke this doctrine when we're discovered in sin. Without this confidence in God's just mercy and merciful justice, we would have despaired and reverted to idolatry long ago. When the Lord reveals our sins privately to us, we should gratefully acknowledge, atone for, and confess our guilt as soon as possible. If we're briefly flustered, humiliated, or ashamed, grace calls us out of these human responses to thank God -- and our accusers -- for revealing these uncomfortable truths. 

If, as we've experienced since the mid-1990's, our guilt is collective we cling to the Church as faithful spouses should cling to one another during difficult moments. Yes, we expected better of the Church. Yes, we're sorely disappointed and some are scandalized. Yes, we must turn to the Lord for reassurance and direction. 

Saint Paul, discovered in his dreadful persecution of Christians, immediately asked, "What shall I do, Sir?" We might learn a lesson from King David also. When Nathan exposed his affair with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband Uriah, he immediately said, “I have sinned against the LORD.” 

We can wallow in shame and remorse for a while but it's better to get on with it: I have sinned; please forgive me; how can I make it up to you? Among our friends and loved ones we may have to wait a while for forgiveness. We may sometimes have to admit the damage is, to all appearances, irreparable. The offended friend has left and will not return. But in obedience we turn to our faithful God and confess our guilt. 

There is no divorce in God's covenant with Jerusalem. Jesus never abandons his Church. We're in continual need of reform but a "reformation" that disavows or disowns the Church only violates the covenant. It is not the way forward.

Returning to grace and mercy is like standing under a hot shower and discovering you forgot your washcloth. You rush out of the shower into the cold air to find the cloth and immediately jump under the warm stream again. Ahh! That feels so good. 

No more shall people call you “Forsaken, “

   or your land “Desolate, “

but you shall be called “My Delight, “

   and your land “Espoused.”

For the LORD delights in you

   and makes your land his spouse.

As a young man marries a virgin,

   your Builder shall marry you;

and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride

   so shall your God rejoice in you.