Extraordinarily Ordinary
Sometimes, the most extraordinary theophanies occur in the most ordinary of situations.
As Catholics, we often seek the extraordinary, the miraculous, and the divine in our lives. We yearn for those moments when God's presence is unmistakable, and we can feel His touch upon our hearts. However, as I reflect on the story of the wedding at Cana, I am reminded that sometimes the most extraordinary theophanies occur in the most ordinary of situations. And it is a lesson that those seeking renewal in the Church must hold close to their hearts.
Consider two unmentioned guests at the wedding feast where Jesus performed His first miracle. The first guest attended the wedding with a sense of familiarity and routine. He knew what to expect and went through the motions of the celebration without much thought or reflection. The only thing that stood out to him was the exceptionally good wine served later in the festivities. He was not observant, did not expect much, and went home with all of his expectations fulfilled.
In contrast, the second guest was more attentive. He noticed when the wine ran out, saw a man briefly speaking with the servants, and watched as the jars were filled with water. He witnessed the steward's joyful reaction upon tasting the water-turned-wine and marveled at the quality of the wine he was served. By being attentive, he noticed something mysterious and extraordinary amid an ordinary situation. This guest left the wedding not just satisfied, but transformed by the experience of witnessing divine intervention.
If we think that our parish lives are ordinary, if we go from one moment to the next knowing what to expect, our expectations will be met, and we might miss Christ's extraordinary presence. We risk becoming like the first guest, going through the motions of our faith without truly experiencing its transformative power.
Looking for Renewal
It is rare that God brings about renewal through waves of conversions and dramatic overnight turnarounds.
It is not, however, rare for God to bring about renewal.
In fact, He is constantly at work, refreshing and reinvigorating His Church through countless miracles that often go unnoticed by the casual observer.
For individuals who are striving for renewal in the Church, it is easy to get discouraged because we see the gap between what the Church should be and what She is. We look at declining Mass attendance, the scandals that have rocked our faith, and the seeming indifference of many to the Gospel message, and we can feel overwhelmed by the task before us.
In my own parish, I fear that too many parishioners miss the extraordinary things going on because they, like the first wedding guest, don't expect to be surprised and amazed. They don't see the young family recommitting to their faith after years away, or the elderly widow finding new purpose in our outreach ministry. They overlook the quiet conversion of a skeptic through patient dialogue, or the healing of old wounds in a reconciliation between estranged parishioners.
I fear that's the case with them because I know it can sometimes be the case with me! I can see something far greater, I can feel our Heavenly Father's passion for the people of my parish, the more that He wants for them, and because I can see how far we have yet to go, I can miss the extraordinary revelations of God's presence happening around me. There must be a deep intentionality in how I look at my parish, an expectation of being surprised and amazed, because only then are my eyes open enough to, like that second guest at Cana, see the extraordinary things happening in a very ordinary place.
As shepherds and members of Christ's flock, we are called to cultivate this attentiveness, this openness to God's work in the everyday moments of our parish life. We must approach each Mass, each encounter with a fellow parishioner, each act of service with the expectation that God is present and active. We must train our eyes to see the water being transformed into wine all around us.
This perspective shift is not just about appreciating what God is doing; it's about participating in it. When we recognize the divine at work in our midst, we are inspired to join in, to actively live out our co-responsibilty for living out the Great Commission.
Over time, we can go beyond that second guest who, while observant, is still a passive participant. We become more like Mary at the wedding feast, noticing a need and bringing it to Jesus, trusting in His power to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
For it is in a posture of attentive wonder that we will not only witness, but also participate in the ongoing miracle of Church renewal.