Our Lady of Sorrows
    info@oladyofsorrows.org
    956-686-0251
    • Home
    • News
      • Weekly Bulletin
    • Homilies
      • Msgr. Gustavo Barrera
      • Dcn. Ray Thomas
      • Dcn. Johnny Gonzalez
      • Dcn. Crawford Higgins
    • About Us
      • Office Directory
      • Worship & Liturgy Schedule
      • Our Pastor
      • Photo Gallery
    • Donate
    • Sacraments
      • Baptism
      • Matrimony
      • CCD
      • RCIA
    • Ministries & Organizations
      • Adoration
      • Altar & Rosary Society
      • Altar Servers
      • Asamblea de Oracion de Matrimonios (AOM)
      • Catholic Daughters of the Americas
      • Homebound Ministry
      • JCDA
      • Choir
      • Knights of Columbus
      • Legion of Mary
      • Readers of the Word (Lectors)
      • Serra Club
      • Star of Hope
    • Faith & Spirituality Groups
      • Bereavement Support
      • Centering Prayer Group
    • Become a Parishioner
    • Funeral Information
    • Quinceañera Information
    • OLS YouTube Channel
    • School
    • Diocese of Brownsville
    • Contact Us

    2 SUNDAY, CYCLE C

    1/21/2019

     
    John 2:1-11

    Jesus showed that He approved of married life at the wedding in Cana.  He came to the rescue of the couple by turning water into wine.  Obviously not enough was purchased.  When there’s no more wine, it’s time to go home.
     
    The family would have been embarrassed and Mary could feel the tension in the air.  She appealed to Her Son who saved the day.  The wine represents the spark of life—the good times—the reason why people get married in the first place—because they love one another.  The story is our story.  Sooner or later, every couple experiences a crisis.  When two people begin to live with each other they discover things that they didn’t know.  Some of the discoveries are difficult to accept.  What was considered “cute” during dating can become “gross” after marriage.  Therefore, the more that the groom and bride know about each other, the better chances they have for a happy marriage.  A couple is asked to prepare 6 months before their intended wedding date.  Not 6 months of waiting—6 months of preparation.  They attend a retreat at San Juan for a weekend.  Couples have said that the weekend was the high point of the preparation.  They write letters to each other, associate with other couples, learn about natural family planning. From the start the couple is given an instrument called the “Focus” in order to assess their compatibility on important issues.  There are no right or wrong answers.  More like looking into a mirror—the instrument shows where a couple agrees and where they are different.  They are also asked to meet with a Sponsor Couple—a married couple who walk with them and share from their experience.  The process is geared to help people discern their future, never to discourage, but to keep them focused on reality.
     
    Remember that a baptized Catholic is obligated to marry before a bishop, a priest or deacon and two witnesses.  Doesn’t cost a penny.  The parish church should be the first to know when a couple intends marriage.  Doesn’t usually happen.  What is top priority is the reception venue, then the dress, the cake.  Lots of attention is directed to who are going to be the Pardinos and Mardinas—who will be invited and who will be avoided.  Couples get very nervous.  Then don’t invite anyone and you won’t get nervous.  Some couples have had to be given tranquilizers just to survive the wedding. 
     
    Quality of dating needs to be considered.  If a couple only goes out to movies together, not much conversation can happen at the movies.  Meeting someone on the Internet lacks intimacy.  Texting back and forth without hearing someone’s voice is popular but not the recipe for a lasting relationship.  Once folks are married, one of the greatest mistakes is to take each other for granted.  “He’s always going to be there; she’s never going to go away.”  Marriage does not take our freedom away.  The choice to stay together has to happen every day.  “You don’t bring me flowers anymore.”—is a sad song that too often becomes reality.  There are no fairy godmothers, no genies, no magic wans.  Two people vow to love each other until death—they are the only two people who can keep the vow.  “I, take you to be my wife, husband.  I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life.”  Marriage is the only Sacrament that is not given, administered by the bishop, priest or deacon.  As ministers, we are the official witnesses of the Church.  The vows take on flesh with the passing of years.  Those who have been married for many years can testify that the Sacrament is no always easy, but with God’s grace, all things are possible.  If Jesus can turn water into wine, He can also change hearts. 
     
    Promote marriage as the foundation of our Church.  Reach out to those who are hurting.  If God calls us to live a vocation in marriage, He will also give us the grace to remain faithful.     


    Comments are closed.
      Picture
      Msgr. Gustavo Barrera,
      ​celebrated his first Holy Mass as pastor on September 15, 2007, the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows. With his enthusiasm and spiritual guidance, OLS continues to serve our Catholic family in a way that challenges us to grow as an evangelizing community.

      Archives

      February 2023
      January 2023
      December 2022
      November 2022
      October 2022
      September 2022
      August 2022
      July 2022
      June 2022
      May 2022
      April 2022
      March 2022
      February 2022
      January 2022
      November 2020
      October 2020
      September 2020
      August 2020
      July 2020
      June 2020
      May 2020
      April 2020
      March 2020
      February 2020
      January 2020
      December 2019
      November 2019
      October 2019
      September 2019
      July 2019
      June 2019
      May 2019
      April 2019
      March 2019
      February 2019
      January 2019
      December 2018
      November 2018
      October 2018
      September 2018
      August 2018
      July 2018
      June 2018
      May 2018
      April 2018
      March 2018
      February 2018
      January 2018
      December 2017
      November 2017
      October 2017
      September 2017
      August 2017
      June 2017
      May 2017
      April 2017
      March 2017
      February 2017
      January 2017
      December 2016
      November 2016
      October 2016
      September 2016
      August 2016
      July 2016
      June 2016
      May 2016
      April 2016
      March 2016
      February 2016
      January 2016
      December 2015
      November 2015
      October 2015
      September 2015
      August 2015
      July 2015
      June 2015
      May 2015
      April 2015
      March 2015

      Msgr. Gustavo Barrera, Pastor.

      Categories

      All

      RSS Feed

    About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Office Directory
    • Stewardship
    • Pastor
    • Our History
    Sacraments
    • Baptism
    • First Reconciliation
    • First Communion
    • Confirmation
    • Marriage
    • Anointing of the Sick
    Parish Life
    1. Become a Parishioner
    2. Bulletin & Newsletters
    3. Planning Center Log-in​
    Worship and Liturgy
    • Daily Readings
    • Liturgy of Hours
    • Mass & Reconciliation
    • Eucharistic Adoration
    Faith Formation
    • CCD
    • RCIA​
    Links & Resources
    • CDOB
    • USCCB
    • Vatican: Holy See
    • American Catholic
    More
    • Homilies
    • Online Giving
    • OLS School
    • OLS on YouTube
    Our Lady of Sorrows Parish
    1108 W Hackberry Ave.
    McAllen, Texas 78501-4370
    Telephone
    : (956) 686-0251
    Picture
    Picture

    Website Development by The Parish Solutions Company
    Our Lady of Sorrow Image Copyright Cromo NB permission to use by CNB Basevi.
    Back to top