29/04/2026
Ogene Ozioma for Thursday, 30th April, 2026, 4th Week of Easter
Acts.1:12-14; Jn. 2:1-11
Feast of Our Lady, Mother of Africa
Reflection: The Unity of the Church in the Love of Christ and Mary’s Intercession
Christianity came to North Africa in the 3rd century. North Africa as part of Roman Empire began to become Christian under Emperor Constantine, until the Arab invasions in later centuries. The French re-established themselves early in the 19th century. The first bishop, Bishop Dupuch found it impossible to build a church because the local population was hostile to the French. Hence, he went back to France for assistance, and The Sodality of Our Lady in Lyon offered him a bronze statue of the Immaculate Conception with the understanding that she would be the Protectress of both the Mohammedans and the natives.
It was brought from France in 1840 and was later enshrined in the new basilica at Algiers, where in 1876 the image was crowned. This very black bronze statue, is known as Our Lady of Africa. This feast commemorates the crowning of the Algiers statue, and has been since then, a meeting place for prayers and healings for both Christians and Muslims.
In the first reading, the life of the apostles was marked by prayerful vigil for the coming of the Holy Spirit and behold in their midst is the mother of Jesus. When the Church gathers together to pray, in union with Christ, Mary’s presence is inevitable for the health and growth of the Church as the marriage feast at Cana would teach us below.
In the Gospel, the Lord tells how this Church should grow by working His first miracle within the context of marital union. Jesus’ presence at wedding at Cana, shows us how blessed marital union could become when Jesus is invited into it, that is, the family, which is the unit of the society and the first church. This local church, anticipates the Church of the redeemed in Christ, where Christ, in the power of the Spirit, becomes the New Wine, the sweet wine of God’s love, which has overtaken the Jewish law and the prophets, the old wine served in the law of Moses.
Both in the small church of the family and in the bigger Church of the redeemed, the presence of the Blessed Virgin, her motherly love and guidance is of utmost importance for the Church to realise her full potential and come to the full knowledge of Christ. Mary’s presence in the family helps the couple to discover their marital love and keep faithfulness as their banner, and as such be spared of shame and conquer evil. So also, her presence in the life of the larger family of the faithful keeps the Church united in her mission and service of the Lord.
We recognize that Jesus did not react to the absence of the wine at the wedding, in spite of the fact that being God, He knows everything, until Mary His mother interceded for the couple. Jesus, expects us to go to His mother, whom she recommended to us at the foot of the cross to be our mother. This is because, unlike ourselves, Mary understands greatly the Heart of Jesus. Also, to be our favorite companions in this journey of life, are the apostles of our Lord, and the saints. They were closer to our Lord in this life, their intercessions before God are very powerful and of great effects.
The first act of ministry of Jesus was the miracle at Cana in Galilee. The choice of Cana and its significance lies in its insignificance. Just as God usually chooses unlikely individuals to do his work (Moses, David, Gideon, etc.), so also He chooses unlikely places to reveal His glory (Bethlehem, Nazareth, Cana). He will also perform His second sign there—the healing of the son of a royal official from Capernaum (4:46-54). Thus Jesus gives His first and second signs in this small, obscure town far from the Jerusalem temple, an example of ministry at the margins, a ministry characterised by going out, to the peripheries. God always goes out through small paths, through humble people, in humble `places and in small things.
The fact that Jesus, His mother and the disciples were invited to this wedding, shows that Jesus was a people person. He was familiar with the common people and spent time with them and was simply a friend (we see His relationship to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus). He was not a gate-crasher, but was invited to this wedding. Jesus does not come by force into our lives, He does not force Himself on us, He respects our freedom of will. He knocks on our doors, waiting for us to open so that He might enter with His blessings; the journey to holiness and sanctity involves a personal decision.
His ministry was among real people, Jesus was interested, even in social events, in entertainment, politics, education, business and commerce. We should carry out none of these, outside of Jesus. There is the tendency in the world today to exclude God and religion from the social order, known as secularism. We know that whenever we exclude truth and love in whatever endeavour of life, we have already excluded Jesus, because Jesus is the Truth, and Love itself.
Wedding in the time of Jesus in Isreal was a seven-day event of celebration and joy. It is likely that the wedding was at the final days when Jesus and His team visited the family, and the wine was finished. Mary, the Mother of God, approaches her son for help. She simply complained to her Son: “They have no wine.” Mary knew that Jesus is capable of doing anything, her faith and understanding of her Son tells her that no problem was beyond His solution: “Do whatever he tells you.”
Mary is our mother, she knows our pains and sorrows more than we do know ourselves and comes always to our aid. Even when the couple had yet no idea of the grave consequences of the shortage of the wine, she moves in to help them, to save them from shame and public disgrace. Mary comes to our aid, to free us from the disgrace and shame that sin brings to us, she is ever present to cover our nakedness, by pointing us to Jesus, who alone can heal, save and fill us with His grace.
When Mary complained to Him about the lack of wine, Jesus commented: “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come”. By calling Mary, woman, Jesus does not mean to disrespect her mother as many think, no. Jesus shows that His ministry has started, His work of salvation has transcended His family circles, to the whole world, her allegiance in the course of His ministry is to the will of His Father, whose time has not yet arrived, the time of His ministry on earth.
Jesus was goal oriented, this goal was His food, that of doing the will of His father in heaven (Jn.3:34). He was intent on His purpose, and viewed everything in light of it. The goal of His coming was to “seek and to save” that which was lost (Luke 19:10). If anything would distract from that or not be useful towards that goal He would not do it. We also need to be goal oriented. When we are to perform any act, we should first consider if it fits in with our goals or not. So, we should set goals of positive values and virtues for our lives (biblically) and then set our minds to pursue them in all of our activities.
Furthermore, following the instructions of Mary, the servants obeyed every bit of Jesus’ instructions, filling the jars with water and the miracle followed thence. When we obey the words of Jesus, He works in our lives. When we bring in Jesus in whatever positive thing we are doing, in our works, family, etc, there is always a change, a new orientation emerges. We move to depend not only on ourselves and capacity alone, but also on the realisation that “if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watch-man keep vigil.”
Now, at the sight of the miracle of Jesus, when the steward tasted the wine that was brought by the servants, he was put off by the great taste, and complained to the bridegroom: “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus does His work completely and perfectly. The miracle was not half-hearted. The gallons were filled up as well as well as the best of wines. This shows how God treats us, richly. His blessings are always abundant, they are full, and are better than anything man can produce. We are indebted to do our absolute best for God (Colossians 3:23), in the recognition that God gives us the absolute best.
Jesus was a humble servant of God. His goal wasn’t to exalt Himself. He did not care to publicize the miracle for the rest of the people to know what happened, but only the apostles and the few servant were aware of the miracle. Likewise, our goal should be to help others, and not to seek honor in this world. A true servant is one who serves in the background.
The Lord asks us not to do works of service so that others will see and praise you. If you do, the praise will be your reward; do them for God (Matthew 6:4) and He will reward you. 1 Peter 5:6 asks us to humble ourselves “under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.”
Prayer
Lord, help us to be ever attentive to the presence and intercession of your mother, and the saints, so that with so many friends to help us, our journey to you will be easier, to the glory of your holy name.
Fr. Celestine Muonwe
