FAUSTE DE RIEZ’S EPIPHANY SERMON
Water turned into wine: the mystery of the transition from the Old Covenant to the New
On the third day, there was a wedding. What are these nuptials, if not the vows and joys of saved humanity, celebrated on the third day, in the mystery of this number which designates either confession of the Trinity, or faith in the resurrection.
For, in another passage of the Gospel, the return of the youngest son – the conversion of the pagan people – is welcomed with music, dance and wedding dress.
And so, like a bridegroom emerging from the bridal chamber, the Word descends to earth, to the Church that is to gather the nations; assuming the Incarnation, he will unite with her whom he has graced with a marriage contract and a dowry. A contract, when God united himself to man; a dowry, when he was immolated for man’s salvation. The contract means present redemption; the dowry means eternal life. ~ So these were miracles for those who saw, mysteries for those who understood. This is why, if we look closely, we discover in some way, in the waters themselves, a resemblance to baptism and the new birth. Indeed, when one thing is transformed inwardly into another, when the lower creature, by an invisible change, is transmuted into a better nature, the mystery of the second birth is fulfilled. Suddenly, the waters are changed, the very waters that will later change men. ~
Through Christ’s action in Galilee, here is wine. In other words, the law comes to an end, and grace takes its place: the reflection is removed, the truth is made present; carnal realities lead to spiritual ones, the old observance is transformed into the New Covenant. As the Apostle says: What is old has passed away; behold, the new has come. Just as the water in the vats loses nothing of what it was, but then receives an existence it did not possess before, so the law does not disappear, but is perfected by the coming of Christ. ~
As the wine runs out, another wine is procured; the wine of the Old Covenant was good, but that of the New is better. The Old Covenant, the one observed by the Jews, evaporates in the letter. The New Covenant, the one that concerns us, restores the taste of life by giving grace.
The good wine, that is, the good commandment, is that of the law, when you hear: You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But the wine of the Gospel is better and stronger, when you hear: Well, I say to you, love your enemies and do good to those who hate you.
Response
R/ Your God will be your beauty, your eternal light!
Jerusalem, your gates will be of crystal,
and your walls, of rubies,
and they will sing in your squares:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your splendor will illuminate
all the lands of the earth;
the peoples will come from afar
to worship the Lord within your walls.
Oraison
Eternal and almighty God, you willed that in your only Son we should become new creatures for you; that your grace should model us in the image of Christ, in whom our nature is united to yours. He who reigns.
