JOHN 2: 1-11.

                       From the 18th of February we are entering into the Great Lent Season.This is also known as " Fifty days lent".It is a time of confession,conversion and renewal.We are to live in the experience of the Kingdom of God. Each Sunday has a particular theme from the Gospels,which manifests the healing, transforming power of Christ during his earthly ministry.

        This week the Church concentrates on the theme " Redemption and Transformation through Jesus Christ". 

The Gospel as 'Good News" of God for the world is Jesus.He is God's intervention with his transforming power in life situation of all who are in need and suffering.This experience is possible only with total obedience and full committment.It is a challenge and demands a lot of resolve, as this passage would illustrate.

The Gospel of John is the book of signs.This incident is the first of seven signs around which chapters 2 - 12 of John's Gospel is built.These miracles are especially called signs because they are not simply acts of power,but to demonstrate the glory of God in Jesus (John 1:14).They are presented so that the reader might share in the confession that " these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah,the Son of God,and by believing you may have life in His name" (John 20:31).

In John's Gospel there is no Christmas narrative.John the baptist and Mary the mother of Jesus introduces Jesus to the World.John the baptist introduces Jesus as the Lamb of God.Here in the context of a wedding in the village at Cana  Mary introduces Jesus in a family setting as the one who intervenes in the ordinary life of people.Here Jesus turns water into wine.St.John described this incident as the first sign of Jesus and proclaims this as the inauguration of the experience of the Kingdom of God.

In the beginning Jesus was the invited guest of that wedding.But at the end he became the host who was gracious and generous.Form this incident I want to emphasize - 

                                   "The Transforming presence of Christ in our day to day life " 

Here Jesus transformed the situation from anxiety and depression to happiness and hope.But for this transformation certain things were carried out.First of all Jesus was invited for that wedding.Second there was Mary the mother of Jesus to communicate the actual situation of that house and Thirdly there were some people to obey Jesus instructions.After these procedures the situation was transformed from shortage to abundance, from anxiety to hope.

So each one of us can experience the transformation of our life situations through Jesus Christ.The only thing that needs to be done is to invite Jesus in our lives, provide a space for him to act and obey his instructions.Then we can also experience the transforming presence of Christ in our lives.He is ready to Transform.But are we ready to involve Jesus in our day to day life? When roads get rough and life seems tough and hope seems dim, by his power, we can transform our situations.Then the world around will be blessed through us and they will praise the Lord and believe in His name.