God takes the initiative to reach out to us and then we have the choice to respond. Our very desire to encounter God in prayer is already a prayer in itself, because we are acknowledging the relationship with God that already exists. Awareness that God exists is not the end goal but only the beginning. A deist believes God exists. Our God, though transcendent and beyond our realm of understanding, is at the same time a God who draws close, who initiates an encounter and invites us, each and every one of us, to have a relationship with him.

Our relationship with God begins with our awareness of his presence in our lives and a recognition that he invites us to experience him more and more. Our relationship develops in intimacy and authentically when we are willing to reveal ourselves to God and be still and open as he reveals himself to us.

Many times our relationship with God and others flattens out or plateaus for many reasons. The core of which is that we close in on ourselves. We focus too much on work or projects, seek false truths, deny our own emotional and spiritual hurts and wounds and instead of seeking help or reaching out, and we keep others at arm’s length. We begin to live a half life or merely exist day to day because we are only going through the motions or are in survival mode.

God seeks for us to be fully engaged in life. We can see this in the account of John’s Gospel for today. The wine has run out at the wedding feast of Cana.

Our discernment for our vocation and path in life becomes clearer when our relationship with God is truer. God sent his Son to invite us and help us to deepen our relationship with his Father. If you need to stop but do not know how, if you are aware of past hurts and wounds that are in need of healing, if you are indecisive, anxious, angry, or losing hope, follow the words of Mary: “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5).

When we are willing to listen to and follow Jesus’ guidance, he will lead us to the source of our being, God his Father and our Father, and to the truth of who we are and are called to be. As our relationship with him grows we are transformed just as Jesus transformed the water to wine. Each of us have been given gifts to utilize for mission, and Jesus will give us what we need to accomplish that which God has given us to do. The Holy Spirit will also guide us through any barrier or obstacle that opposes our mission. We will find joy and strength, we will find healing and renewal, we will find access and means, as well as fulfillment and joy in living our life to the full, when we do whatever Jesus tells us and allow him to transform us in his love.

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Photo: Icon accessed from Rorarte-Caeliblogspot.com

Link for the Mass readings for Sunday, January 16, 2022