EXPLORE THE SUNDAY GOSPEL
The Wedding at Cana
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
"They have no wine."
And Jesus said to her,
"Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servers,
"Do whatever he tells you."
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told them,
"Fill the jars with water."
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
"Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter."
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
"Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now."
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.
MEET OUR EXTENDED FAMILY
Sts. Anne & Joachim (Feast Day July 26)
1st Century
St. Anne was born in Bethlehem and married Joachim, a shepherd from Nazareth in Galilee who supplied the Jerusalem temple with sheep for sacrifices.
St. Anne and Joachim had been married for 20 years when Joachim went into the desert to plead with God to give them a child. After a time of fasting, an angel assured him that he and Anne would be given a child they were to name Mary and dedicate to God. St. Anne wondered where her husband had gone and felt despair at being barren. She cried out, “Why was I born, Lord?”
An angel appeared to tell her she would soon give birth to a daughter she was to name Mary, a child who "shall be spoken of in all the world." After Mary was born, Anne and Joachim dedicated her to God at the temple of Jerusalem, where she spent much of her childhood. When Mary was fourteen, she was engaged to Joseph of Nazareth and became the Mother of God. They probably never realized that through their vocation to marriage, they would become the grandparents of Jesus!
TAKE TIME TO CHAT
- In today’s Gospel story, Mary asks Jesus for help in a moment of need. Mary can bring your needs to Jesus too. What help do you need from Jesus?
- Picture a gallon of milk. Now picture 180 gallons of milk. That’s how much wine Jesus makes in today’s Gospel story! What would it have been like to witness this miracle? What do you think people said and did when they realized what had happened?
- Why do you think Jesus performs miracles?
- Inspired by Sts. Anne and Joachim, how can you turn to God when you are upset or feeling uncertain about his plans in your life?
FAMILY FUN
Pretend Wedding
As a family, plan and act out a pretend wedding. Give everybody a part (bride, groom, priest or deacon, musician, lector, etc.). Spend time picking out the music and the readings.
(Find ideas at https://www.foryourmarriage.org/readings/)
Dress up in fancy clothes and set up the house like a church, making sure everyone has a seat. Act out the wedding with your family or use stuffed animals or dolls. Take pictures!
Have kids share whether they think that God might someday call them to the vocation of marriage. If so, invite them to share ideas about what they want their own weddings to be like. Write them down and put them (and any pictures) somewhere safe. When they are older, pull them out and reminisce. It might be fun to share these memories someday at a toast at their real wedding or dress rehearsal.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Roasted Chicken with Prosciutto and Peas
Jesus transformed the water into wine. Use wine to transform this chicken dish into a delicious treat.
3 to 3 ½ pounds whole chicken (or use chicken breasts)
½ cup dry white wine
6-8 oz. prosciutto, diced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 package frozen peas
2-4 Tbsp cornstarch
Pasta
(optional) Parmesan cheese
Cook the chicken, wine, prosciutto, and onion in the crock pot on low for 8 hours. Once cooked, remove the chicken and keep warm. Cook pasta. Pour the liquid in the crockpot (including the prosciutto and onion) into a pan over medium heat. Add whipping cream and frozen peas to the liquid to make the sauce. Heat to simmer and allow to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to allow the peas to cook. Then add 2 Tbsp cornstarch to the sauce to thicken. Consider dissolving the cornstarch in a little water first so that it is not clumpy when you add it. Add additional cornstarch for thicker sauce. Carve the chicken. Serve over the pasta and top with sauce. Add parmesan cheese if desired.
FAMILY PRAYER
Prayer for Marriage
Gather your family to pray this prayer for your own marriage. If you are not married or are separated, adapt the prayer to pray for a special couple in your life.
Heavenly Father, we come before you to thank you for all you have done and continue to do in our lives and marriage. We come before you today, God, asking for a stronger bond of unity in our marriage covenant. When people look at our marriage, may they be reminded of how you love your Church. We renew our wedding vows today and strive to bring each other to heaven. May our children always know that they are loved by you and that they were created with a purpose. Holy Family, make our family more like yours. Watch over us, protect us, and help us to live this day in great charity and overwhelming peace. Amen.
LITURGY LINK
The cruets are the containers filled with water and wine that are used at the beginning of the Eucharistic prayer. Notice when and how they are used today.
FAMILY CHALLENGE
Jesus listened to his mother in the Gospel, even if he did not want to at first. This week, do what you can to listen to and obey your parents.
FUN FACTS
The miracle of turning the water into wine was the first known miracle Jesus performed.
