examination of the heart 144 SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY41 Before Holy Communion 1. “there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee” (Jn 2:1). People regard a wedding as a magnificent and solemn act for which they prepare themselves with the greatest diligence, by adorning themselves and dressing up. Today, my soul, the immortal Spouse invites you to a wedding. He invites you to the heavenly wedding, for which a banquet is prepared that surpasses all earthly banquets, because its food is God Himself. Put on the robes and don quickly the beautiful virtue of humility. For at this wedding of the heavenly Lord, nobody would be more welcome and better dressed than the one clothed in humility. Without this most precious toga, no one would be admitted to this banquet. Beware, my soul, not to come to the solemn act of this wedding without this garment, lest you be expelled with the words: “[H]ow did you get in here without a wedding garment?” (Mt 22:12). 2. “and the mother of Jesus was there” (Jn 2:1). A bridegroom would think himself very fortunate if a king or a queen were attending his wedding. For this reason were the newlyweds at Cana most fortunate, because on this solemn day of their marriage bonds, the Queen of queens herself, although not yet known to all, and the King of kings, honored them with their presence. As for you, when you come to the wedding of Jesus, to “the holy banquet in which Christ is consumed, the memory of His Passion is recalled, the soul is filled with grace, and a pledge of the future heavenly glory is given to us;”42 know that you will find 41 See footnote 137 (p. 317), which explains more about the Sundays after Epiphany. 42 This is a direct translation from the Latin of the Magnificat Antiphon for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi — Evening Prayer II. Cf. Liturgia Horarum iuxta ritum Romanum, vol. III, Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, Città del Vaticano 1972, p. 502. [Hereafter Liturgia Horarum iuxta ritum Romanum will be abbreviated as LH.] The English translation found in the 3rd volume of The Liturgy of the Hours is: “How holy this feast in which Christ is our food; his passion is recalled; grace
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