This falls under the heading of too good not to share…

I’m working through The Ignatian Workout for Lent: 40 days of Prayer, Reflection, and Action by Tim Muldoon. I was struck by a paragraph from Exercise 15, “Let the Party Continue.”

The Exercise opens with our reading about the miracle at Cana of Galilee where Jesus turns water into wine. (See John 2.1 – 12.) Then an introduction:

In John’s Gospel, Jesus begins his public ministry with the miracle of changing water into wine. Why does he choose this action, rather than something more—well—Godlike? Why not raise someone from the dead or heal some people—or for that matter, cure cancer, eliminate poverty, and end war? Why do a miracle that simply allows a party to continue?

“Why do a miracle that simply allows a party to continue?” That’s a good question. I wouldn’t have!

Here’s the paragraph that grabbed me: how do we change the world?

There is something intensely paradoxical about this first miracle that should give us pause in our efforts to change the world. Jesus’ actions are always personal and always surprising. He was not a social-justice crusader. At no point did Jesus challenge the oppressive Roman government, organize the poor to demand their rights, or lead a boycott against the religious authorities.

He continues:

He simply wanted to reveal God’s glory and to show that he himself was the bearer of it. He was fabulously unconcerned with applying divine power to scare people. His actions were rather modest and even capricious, in this case, simply obeying his mom’s directions to help out an impecunious bridegroom.

He concludes:

This is not a man who appears to be on a massive public-relations campaign, announcing the presence of God in a carefully strategized sequence. He seems much more interested in random acts of compassion that get him into trouble.

“Random acts of compassion that get him into trouble.” For example, the healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda and the healing of the man born blind.

So how do we change the world? Through Holy Moments, random acts of compassion, like Jesus did.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5.16, ESV)