A Concord Pastor Comments: Word for the Weekend: January 17

Christmastide is complete and we find ourselves in the first week of Ordinary Time. This coming Sunday, then, is the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time* and you'll find the scriptures for Mass and background material on them right here.

If you're shepherding youngsters to church, here are some hints for helping children prepare to hear the Lord's Word.

After Christmas, Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord, today's gospel is yet another manifestation of who Christ is among us. In today's Gospel we find Jesus at the wedding feast at Cana where he performed his first miracle or sign: turning water into wine.

The day's first reading, from Isaiah, was chosen because of the nuptial imagery it offers but don't miss the "names" for God's people in the first part of the reading. Something's lost in the translation from the Hebrew, but the names are interesting nonetheless.

The second lesson, from 1 Corinthians, features the familiar text on the many gifts and the one Spirit. This text begins will begin a series of readings from 1 Corinthians.

Take a look at these scriptures today in preparation for worship on the Lord's Day!

*A new liturgical year begins on the First Sunday of Advent. The four Sundays before December 25 are the Four Sundays of Advent. The Sunday in the Octave of Christmas is the Feast of the Holy Family. Epiphany, formerly celebrated on January 6, is transferred, in most parts of the Catholic world, to the Sunday closest to January 6. The Sunday after Epiphany is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (although depending on other calendar peculiarities, the Baptism of the Lord is sometimes celebrated on a weekday). The Sunday after the Baptism, is the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, and features every year the gospel account of the wedding at Cana and the first miracle Christ performed. If you're really paying attention, you might be wondering, "What happened to the First Sunday in Ordinary Time?" The answer to that question can be found here.