Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, June 13, 2004

2) Hari Minggu Tubuh dan Darah Kristus, 13 Juni 2004
Senin, 07 Juni 2004. Minggu ini saya memulai mengikuti kuliah musim panas di CTU, di sore hari pukul 7 hingga 9.30. Saya merencanakan untuk mengiktui tiga kuliah dalam bidang spiritualitas selama tiga minggu berturut-turut. Tiga kuliah setara dengan satu matakuliah dalam sistem semester. Saya mengikuti kuliah Maria dalam Kitab Suci dengan dosen Megan McKena dan 10 mahasiswa-i di ruang pendiri CTU. Ia menjelaskan bahwa gambaran kita tentang Maria, Ibu Yesus banyak dipengaruhi oleh Gereja Barat, cantik, berkulit putih, bermata biru, tinggi, dan seterusnya padahal menurut kenyataan sejarah dan budaya Palestina, Maria sebenarnya bisa diperkirakan pendek, berulit agak hitam karena terik sinar matahari.
Selasa, 08 Juni 2004. Masih dalam kuliah Maria dalam Kitab Suci dari jam 7 hingga 9.30 malam. Saya mendapatkan dalam mailbox Xaverian di CTU, sebuah surat dari direktur Mdiv program, Dawn Notwehr, OSF, tentang transfer kredit teologi saya dari STF Driyarkara Jakarta ke CTU Chicago.
Rabu, 09 Juni 2004. Di pagi hari saya bertemu Gil Ostdiek, OFM, penasehat akademis saya di CTU berbicara tentang transfer kredit saya dan juga surat untuk menambah atau mengurangi matakuliah untuk kuliah musim gugur nanti. Dalam kesempatan ini pula saya mengutarakan maksud saya untuk mengganti status saya dari mahasiswa Mdiv ke Mdiv/MA (General Academic MA, tanpa bikin thesis) dalam bidang spiritualitas dan minornya cross-cultural. Saya menulis surat untuk mengajukan perubahan status ini dan memberikannya kepada direktur penerimaan di CTU yaitu Kathy Van Duser di lantai dua. Maka, sekarang status saya secara resmi dalam program M.Div/MA dan saya akan bertemu direktur MA yaitu Pastor Steve Bevans, SVD, namun saya sudah mencoba untuk menelpon dia sayangnya tidak di tempat. Saya menyerahkan formulir tambah/kurang rencana kuliah musim gugur nanti di kantor registrasi dengan Veronika. Saya tidak jadi mengambil matakuliah etika karena jadwalnya diganti dan bentrok dengan jadwal kuliah saya yang lain dan saya menambah satu matakuliah spiritualitas yaitu Fondasi dan metode untk studi spiritualitas (Mary Frohlich). Sore hari saya memasak untuk komunitas yaitu nasi, sup tom yum (Thailand) dan kare daging babi. Malam hari saya ikut kuliah Maria dalam Kitab Suci jam 7 hingga 9.30.
Kamis, 10 Juni 2004. Pagi hari saya berpikir-pikir bagaimana membuat paper untuk kuliah Maria dalam Kitab Suci sementara saya juga membalas email dari satu frater Xaverian di Jakarta yang ditugaskan ke USA untuk studi yaitu Harno. Saya dalam email memberikan informasi yang saya dapat lewat website tentang formulir yang dibutuhkan untuk melamar visa di kedutaan besar USA di Jakarta, seperti DS-156, 157, 158 serta hal-hal lain yang berkaitan dengan visa ini. Semua ini bisa dilihat dengan mudah di website/Internet.
Jumat, 11 Juni 2004. Kami mengadakan lectio divina bersama komunitas pagi hari jam 7.30 dipimpin oleh Pastor Pascal. Saya menyelesaikan paper 10 halaman untuk matakuliah Maria dalam Kitab Suci dan menyerahkannya malam ini hari terakhir kuliah dari matakuliah ini di CTU. Saya sungguh bersyukur atas kebaikan dosen ini yang menghargai hasil tulisan paperku dan ia membaca sekilas paperku dan memberinya nilai (A). Yang penting bukan nilainya namun perwujudan apa yang sudah kudapat untuk sesama.
Sabtu, 12 Juni 2004. Pagi hari jam 10.40 saya naik kereta Metra menuju Glen Ellyn mengunjungi keluarga Whitemore. Selalau merupakan suatu kegembiraan dan keistimewaan tersendiri bagi saya bahwa saya dapat mengalami bagaimana keluarga-keluarga hidup di USA ini. Kali ini saya menikmati pengalaman tinggal semalam di sebuah keluarga yang bahagia, penuh canda, sederhana yang saya rasakan sendiri. Terima kasih banyak saya ucapkan untuk keluarga Kris (adalah seorang suami yang sungguh baik, seorang bule Amerika cukup tinggi, 190 cm) dan Mbak Theresia yang sudah mengundang saya untuk bertamu (asal Jakarta) dan puteri sulung mereka seperti puteri kecil yang manis berumur 6 tahun bernama Sophia yang menerima saya dengan begitu baiknya. Seperti Maria yang saya pelajari dari Kitab Suci yang mengunjungi Elisabeth sepupunya yang sedang mengandung 6 bulan demikian pula saya meneladani sikap Maria mengunjungi keluarga Whitemore di mana Mbak Theresia sedang mengandung babynya yang kedua di bulan ke-3. Saya bersyukur untuk kasih dan perhatian kalian telah mengajak saya ke banyak tempat yang tidak pernah saya kunjungi seperti dua buah mall terbesar Nordstrom salah satunya di Oak Brook, sebuah restaurant Jepang bernama Mitzuwa, dan pergi bersama sama ke Gereja Santa Theresia di Chinatown Chicago hari Minggu pagi untuk misa Indonesia. Sambil menunggu kelahiran bayi kedua keluarga Whitemore yang kemungkinan akan lahir di akhir tahun ini. Saya tinggal semalam dan bermalam minggu di keluarga ini.
Minggu, 13 Juni 2004. Pagi hari saya berangkat dari rumah keluarga Whitemore menuju gereja Santa Theresia di Chinatown Chicago mengikuti misa Indonesia pukul 11 dipimpin oleh Romo Eko, cm dan dihadiri oleh sekitar 60 orang. Dalam misa ini pula saya bertemu keluarga Steve-Monci dari Buffalo Grove dan ortu mereka Ferry-Lely yang adalah pasutri Choice saya di Jakarta yang akan balik ke Indonesia minggu depan setelah mengunjungi keluarga ini. Saya berjumpa pula dengan Frater Ignas, sx dan Stanly dari Milwaukee yang datang secara khusus untuk misa ini. Setelah misa seperti biasa kami mengadakan acara ramah tamah dan makan siang dengan menu sayur lodeh dan pepes ikan tidak lupa sambalnya serasa di Lembur Kuring komentar salah satu umat ketika saya mengantri ambil makanan. Hampir semua orang heran, takjub-takzim melihat saya yang gundul seperti seorang bhiksu dan saya menjawab ini adalah edisi baru musim panas dilahirkan kembali dalam roh dan semangat baru, baca aje Kisah para rasul 18:18. Siang ini pula di basement paroki ini saya bercanda dengan seorang gadis kecil kelas satu SD anak dari teman Lisa-Edi asal China bernama Jenni yang akan pindah ke LA minggu depan. Si Jenni kecil ini mengingatkan saya pada banyak anak SD dan TK di Indonesia yang pernah saya kunjungi sebelum saya pergi ke USA ini; saya juga heran sekali bahwa saya memiliki pengalaman bisa dekat dan akrab sama anak-anak, baik di Indonesia (Madiun, Ponorogo, Magetan maupun Jakarta) juga di negeri lain ini. Akhirnya, saya hanya ingin mengucapkan syukur kepada Allah dan semua orang yang saya jumpai dalam satu minggu terakhir ini dan saya masih memiliki dua matakuliah spiritualitas yang harus saya pelajari di dua minggu ke depan ini di CTU. Saya pasti akan mencoba mensharingkan sedapat mungkin apa yang saya pelajari ini pada Anda sekalian para sahabat dan saudaraku. Salah satunya adalah hasil paperku dalam kuliah Maria dalam Kitab Suci (karena agak panjang, 10 halaman, maka saya tidak sempat menerjemahkan dalam bahasa Indonesia, silahkan baca di edisi bahasa Inggrisnya di bawah ini).


2) Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, June 13, 2004
Monday, June 07, 2004. This week I start to attend summer courses at CTU, in the evening at 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. I plan to study three different courses in the spirituality for three weeks continuously. Three courses equal with one course in the semester system. I had Mary in the Scripture class with the instructor Megan McKena and 10 students in the founder’s room. She explained that our image of Mary, mother of Jesus is influenced very much by the Western Church which is beautiful, tall, has white skin, blue-eye, but actually we can predict that based on the historical and cultural data in Palestine, Mary could be short, dark skin because of the sunlight.
Tuesday, June 08, 2004. Still in the Mary in the Sripture class at 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. I found in the Xaverian mailbox at CTU, a letter from M.Div director program of CTU, Dawn Notwehr, OSF, about transfer of my credits from STF Driyarkara Jakarta to CTU-Chicago.
Wednesday, June 09, 2004. At 9 a.m. I met Gil Ostdiek, OFM, my academic advisor at CTU talking about my transfer of credits and add/drop my fall semester courses. In this occasion as well, I told him that I am willing to change my status from M.Div to M.Div/MA program (General Academic MA) major in spirituality and minor in cross-cultural studies. I wrote a letter to apply this status changing and submitted it to the director of admission of CTU, Kathy M. Van Duser at 2nd floor. Now, officialy I have been in the M.Div/MA program and I will be looking forward to meet the director of MA, Father Steve Bevan, SVD, but I have called him since today, he’s not in his office. I submitted my drop/add form to registration office. I drop an ethic course because it has the same time with my other course and I add one spirituality course, namely, Foundations and methods for the study of spirituality (Mary Frohlich, RSCJ). In the afternoon I was cooking rice, tom yum soup, and pork curry. At 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m I had a class of Mary in the scripture.
Thursday, June 10, 2004. In the morning I was pondering how to do my paper of Mary in the Scripture, while I replied e-mail from my Xaverian brother in Jakarta who is assigned to come to the USA, named Harno. I told him about some forms that he should have to apply this visa. I got them from the website of usembassy in Jakarta.
Friday, June 11, 2004. We had a lectio divina in the morning at 7.30 led by Father Pascal. I finished my 10-page paper of Mary in the Scripture class and submitted in the last class in the evening at CTU. I am grateful that the professor of this course appreciated my paper that she just read it and granted me (A).
Saturday, June 12, 2004. In the morning at 10.40 I went to Glen Ellyn by Metra train to visit Whitemore family. It’s always a pleasure and privilige for me that I can experience how families live in the USA. This time I experienced a happy-full of joke-simple family that I ever have experienced. Thank you very much for Kris (a white American) and Mbak Theresia (from Jakarta) and little-sweet-princess-6-year-old Sophia who have welcomed me so wonderfully. Like Mary that I learned who visits her cousin, Elizabeth in her 6-month pregnancy, I also imitated her visiting Mbak Theresia who is in her 3-month pregnancy. I am grateful for your love and care entertaining me to go to some places that I never knew such as two biggest malls Nordstrom in Oak Brook, a Japanese store named Mitzuwa, and took me together to Saint Therese Church on Sunday for Indonesian Mass. Looking forward the new baby who will be born probably at the end of this year. I stayed overnight at their house.
Sunday, June 13, 2004. In the morning we departed from their house to Chinatown to have an Indonesian Mass led by Father Eko, cm and attended by about 60 people. In this Mass as well, I met Steve-Monci family from Buffalo Grove and their parents Ferry-Lely who will return to Indonesia next week after visiting this family. I met Ignas, sx and Stanley who came from Milwaukee for this Mass. After the Mass as usual, we had hospitality with Indonesian meal. Most people wondered to see me bald like a monk and I said that it’s a new summer edition to be born again in a new spirit. I got along with a first grade of primary school Chinese little girl named Jenni who will move to LA. She reminds me to many little children whom I visited in Indonesia before I came to the USA. Finally, I just want to say thanks to God and all of people that I met during this week and I still have two spirituality courses that I have to take this coming two weeks at CTU. I will try to share to all of you, my dear friends what I have learned and my reflexion upon it. Here it is my pondering upon Mary in the Scripture I have learned last week:

INTRODUCTION
This paper consists of three sections, namely, Mary in my life and vocation, Mary in the Scripture and a homily regarding a story of Mary in the Gospel of John.

I. MARY IN MY LIFE AND VOCATION
Reflecting my life and vocation in the Xaverian missionaries, I never forget my experience with my Catholic neighbor praying rosary in every May and October. Apparently, this occasion formed me to answer the vocation that I am enduring now in the Xaverian Missionaries toward missionary-religious-priesthood.
Moving in a new rented-house with my family located on Halim Perdanakusuma Street, when I was in the second grade of Junior High School in 1988, obviously determined my future life and idea to be a priest. In this house also, in one evening some catechists came to my house offering to my father if we were as his children wanted to be catechumens and to be baptized in the Catholic Church. My Father agreed and finally I learned catechism in a convent of nuns, the Missionary of Claris from the Blessed Sacrament (MC), not far from my house. Actually, my parents married in a Catholic Church in my hometown in 1970 but none of their children were baptized. My mother was Catholic then converted to be a Protestant and my father is not Catholic and no religion at all he professes until now. After almost two years I learned to be a catechumen, then I was baptized on December 24, 1990, in 16 year-old. Even though, I was baptized in adult, I already knew some Catholic teachings from my Catholic schools both kindergarten, Saint Bernard belongs to Ursula Sisters and primary school, Saint Joseph belongs to Saint Aloysius Brothers. When I studied in both schools, I always mentioned that I was Protestant like my mother but after I went to Junior High School in public school, I decided to be Catholic because I used to know Catholic teaching not Protestant who always memorizing some verses on the Scriptures. Probably, with the influence and life example of my oldest sister and my grandmother (mother of my father) who lived in our family after my mother passed away, I decided to be Catholic. They were baptized first in the Catholic Church then I followed them.
My grandma always invited me to accompany her to pray rosary in our Catholic neighbors. Her baptism name is Maria; also my mother's name is Anna Maria. It is not coincidence that both of my close female parents had the same name, Mary. My mother passed away when I was nine and my grandma died as well when I was 18 years old. My first willingness and thought to be a priest was when I had a pilgrimage to a Shrine of our Lady Mary in 'Gua Kerep' Ambarawa, Central Java with some parishioners of my Church, Saint Cornelius, Madiun in May 1991. Joining the evening prayer in a Trapistin convent in Salatiga before going home, I was impressed by the sisters who prayed the evening prayer solemnly and the variety of their origins. In that time, my heart and my mind always urged me to do so like them, to be a priest. I had such a strong willingness to answer this call but after on the way to my hometown, I neglected that it is impossible to me. Afterward, in the rosary prayer in my Catholic neighbors, a lady approached me and said to me, "You are worthy to be a priest, I will pray for you." It recalled me about my previous experience to be a priest but I denied it. In that time, I did not know anything about vocation to be a priest then I asked my grandma whether I could be a priest. But, my grandma answered me, "No, do not be a priest because it will add our sins." Neglecting her answer, I tried to search for this sort of vocation and I found a Catholic magazine, HIDUP, when I prayed rosary in the house of the lady who told me that I am worthy to be a priest. From this magazine I knew the Xaverian Missionaries and I sent a letter to the vocation director, Father Silavano Laurenzi, SX in Yogyakarta. These stories drew me, eventually, to answer radically God's call in the Xaverian Missionaries after I had worked for three years, 1993-1996, in Jakarta.
It is not a coincidence but a providence that my call to the Xaverian Missionaries is from the chronicle-story-chain of my youth life involving with my Catholic neighbor and Mary as my intercessor to this call. I believe Mary always accompanies me on this spiritual journey that finally draws me in the Xaverian Missionaries after I had worked for three years, 1993 to 1996, in Jakarta.
The founder of the Xaverian Missionaries, Blessed Guido Maria Conforti had a spiritual experience with Mary of Fontanellato (Italy) whom he believed as the intercessor of his healing. Even, in the Xaverian Constitution number 49 written, "Mary, mother of the Lord and the Church, has a singular role in the history of salvation. We look to her as the attentive Virgin who harbors the Word of God within. She transmits it with courage and simplicity. She is ever mindful of others' needs." And, in number 49.1: "The Rosary: In Christian tradition one of the most popular and revered Marian devotions is the rosary. We recommend its frequent use." In the formula of renewal of vows in the Xaverian missionaries, I found a correlation to Mary as it is written at the end of the formula, "Grant me, Lord, through the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, your assistance so that my whole life, free from evil, may be a gift and sign of your love to all."
Like Mary lived in the midst of the disciples of Jesus, my vocation also grew from the Catholic community of my neighbor who has devotion to Mary strongly. This Catholic community is named after Mary and I will never forget my origin of vocation to be a priest from this community. The rosary prayer in order to contemplate the mystery of Jesus always becomes my prayer before going to bed at night. With Mary in the midst of the Catholic community initiates, develops and nurtures my vocation to be a Catholic and then my particular vocation, missionary-religious-priesthood.

II. MARY IN THE SCRIPTURE
In the Scripture especially in the New Testament and particularly in the Gospels, I can find some stories about Mary, mother of Jesus.
The testimonies of New Testament about Jesus are testimonies of faith. In their portrayal of Mary, they reflect and transmit images of the mother of Jesus according to the faith of the primitive community, which they emerged. For Mark, Luke and John, Mary was not only an historical personage (mother of Jesus), but also a theological image.
Saint Paul in his letters never mentioned about Mary except in Galatians 4:4, "God sent us his son, born of a woman..." Paul does not mention anything about Jesus' birth or any other bibliographical details about Jesus, his mother or his family. For Paul, Jesus is central.
The Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke follow a complex trajectory. Mark, the earliest writer (60-70 AD) portrays Mary in a somewhat negative light. Luke, the latest of the three (80-90 AD), in a positive light and Matthew (70-80 AD) in an ambiguous, middle ground between positive and negative. The Church's understanding of Mary grows slowly more positive as it more deeply understood her role in the life of Jesus and redemption. We can look at the biblical references, which relate to Mary and which indicate a clear and evolving trajectory of positive acceptance of Mary within the Christian traditions:
1. Birth Narratives. Mark does not contain a birth narrative. Matthew contains a short birth narrative but Matthew says nothing about Mary but focuses on Joseph (Matt.1: 18-25, 28, 30, 38, 42-45). Luke's narrative portrays Mary, as a woman who hears the word of God, is faithful to God's word, and obedient both to God and this desires for Mary. Luke is the foundation of much of what the Church teaches about Mary.
2. "Who are my mother and brothers?" The encounter between the adult Jesus and his family are in the Synoptic Gospels but each tells in a different way. Mark mentions Mary only twice, both times in a rather negative way. The first describes an encounter with his family shortly after Jesus selected his disciples: "Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, 'He is out of his mind.'" (Luke 3: 20-21). "Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you. 'Who are my mother and my brothers?' He asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." (Luke 3: 31-35). Within the Marcan theme and context of the meaning of the call to discipleship, this passage indicates the importance of the spiritual relationship of believers. It is not physical or natural ties, which signify importance but the priority of belief. The eschatological family (brother, sister, mother) are those who hear the word of God and keep it in their hearts. While Jesus' words do not indicate a rejection of his natural ties (family/friends), it is significant that spiritual belief and discipleship hold stronger priority.
Matthew and Luke use the same incident to present a different picture. Both set the story later in Jesus' ministry and drop the "He is out of his mind..." (Matt.12: 46-50). Luke eliminates the question, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" and changes the words of Jesus so that Jesus does not exclude his mother from his spiritual family (Luke 8: 19-21). Later, Jesus responds to a woman who declares Mary blessed (Luke 11: 27-28). Jesus appears to be pointing out that Mary's blessedness lies in her faith and obedience to God rather than in being his biological mother. It is evident that the trajectory of the three Gospels relating to the "spiritual family" is from earliest to latest, the Marian story unfolds from negative references to acceptance and honor.
3. "Is not this Mary's Son?" Mary is mentioned second time in Mark also in a negative way. The passage appears in each of three Gospels, again in a different form and describes a visit by Jesus to his hometown (Mark 6:1-6). Matthew's version is more favorable (Matt. 13: 54-57). Luke's version of the story is much longer, more detailed and favorable to the family of Jesus (Luke 4: 16-24).
4. The Gospel according to John. John's Gospel, in many ways, contains the most interesting treatment of Mary. If Luke laid the groundwork for the Church's veneration, John opened the door for Marian theological development by portraying Mary as part of the community of Christians, the community of the beloved disciples and friends, as the first disciple. John has no birth narrative and Mary is never mentioned by name. The first mention of Mary is at Cana, where the exchange is ambiguous. Jesus seems annoyed at her request to do something about the wine (2:4), but then he fulfills her wish in the end. More important in the Cana story, however is the story of the crucifixion. John places Mary at the foot of the cross; the only mention in any of the Gospels that Mary was present with Jesus at his death. John then narrates a touching story in which Jesus gives "the disciple whom he loved" to Mary, as her new son, and Mary to the disciple as his mother (19:25-27). As John relates the story, Mary is now associated with Johannine Christianity, and an opening is made for the process of further Marian symbolizing within the Church. John's Gospel opens the door for Mary to become a symbol for other Christians. She is given a status within the community and is held as a model of the believer. As "mother" of the community of the beloved disciple, she is also its ideal representative of the real disciple. Her place within the early church would be made even more important within the Second and Third Centuries.

III. HOMILY (Gospel of John 2: 1-12)
It is an implementation of my study of Mary in the Scripture and Gospel of John to write a homily to be addressed to the Indonesian Catholic in which I am part of it. I always remember that my vocation toward missionary-religious-priesthood began in the small community of my hometown, Madiun, so I want to return to my original community that I found in Chicago as well. It is to be addressed to the Indonesian Catholic people who live in Chicago and the suburb who gather on Sunday (every second Sunday) in Saint Therese Church, Chinatown-Chicago.
We are the intercessors between God's grace and other people
The wedding at Cana has no parallels in the other gospels. It is only in the Gospel of John. It happened on 'the third day', as fulfillment the promise made by Jesus in John 1:50, "You will see greater things than this". In Judaism the wedding symbolizes the eschatological age. In the Old Testament, we can notice how wisdom was offered to people in the form of banquet. So the new wisdom of Jesus is presented in this wedding at Cana. Jesus together with his mother and the disciples are present in the wedding. The mother of Jesus is never named; even Jesus called her "woman". She is the ideal disciple, symbol of the Church, and prototype and exemplar of faith. The word 'disciple' (mathetes) in John means only a 'believer', not a circle of more intimate followers. The wedding is an event where people have party and celebrate the new life of the couple. The mother of Jesus is such a person who does not want to enjoy the happiness herself. She went to the party with Jesus her son and the disciples. She believes that happiness is fulfilled if it is shared. She is the ideal intercessor between God's grace (Jesus) and the people present in the wedding party including Jesus' disciple.
The important role of Jesus' mother on this wedding is realized when they know that there is no wine. Her statement: "They have no wine" proofs her concern to other's problem. She is such a woman who has remarkable initiative and decisive action. She did not hope for miracle but made contribution to the embarrassing situation of lack of wine. The lack of wine could be understood because at that time the wedding party could easily last one week. Jesus responded negatively, "My hour has not yet come". "Hour" relates to the service of the divine sovereignty, which will culminate in the 'lifting up' on the cross. Jesus' response makes the story very hard to understand. A Pre-Johannine story proposes that in John 2:4 there was no response of Jesus. Yet, Jesus' mother goes ahead as if Jesus had not refused, and Jesus does what she said. She does not influence Jesus as a mother but she allows herself to be influenced by him. Her relationship with Jesus is transformed, so she believes in him, allowing herself to be influenced by him and thus represents all believers, the Church. Then she said to the servant, "Do whatever he tells you" (John 2:5). She invites other to be docile to Jesus. Once again, we see that the mother of Jesus is intercessor between Jesus and the other (the servant).
The role of Jesus' mother as intercessor continues with the main action of Jesus. There is relation, cooperation, and docility between the servant and Jesus. The servant is connector between God's grace and the steward. The steward is connector between God's grace and the bridegroom. Jesus is the true bridegroom. The word of Jesus, "Fill the jars with the water" (John 2:7) and "Draw some out, and take it to the chief steward" (John 2:8) are realization of Jesus' mother as the intercessor. The abundance of wine means the fullness of Christ's grace, in contrast to the limitation of the old covenant. It also means the abundance of Jesus' new covenant where God gives the Spirit without measure to believers. Being follower of Christ, we are called to be intercessors like mother of Jesus. Our deeds should draw the others to connect with God and cooperate to God's plan.
The exchanging of water into wine is called the first sign. This sign of Jesus is the first public act of his ministry. It draws the glory of Jesus, which is perceived by few persons and the meaning understood only by the closest associate of Jesus. This sign provokes faith in the positive way, both a perception of Jesus as filler of human physical needs and the divine filler. Jesus brings newness of life, the quality of being Christian, the difference with what had been before. We could be channels of this new life of others.
God's grace is granted to all human being without exception. God needs the creatures to be intercessors of the abundant grace. We are called to be intercessors of God's grace to others. Like the mother of Jesus, we are called to be intercessor between God's grace and others. What can we do as intercessors? How can we play this important role? First of all, we can start in our family because the God's grace begins in human family events; when we pray and strengthen one another as God's family. We collect our donation to help others, such as scholarship for students in remote and poor areas of Indonesia and our social involvement when we help the poor in some social institutions in this country where we live. Our active participation in the Indonesian Catholic group here in Chicago such as the hospitality we offer after mass, the friendly way we welcome Indonesian newcomers in Chicago and help them to adjust in this environment are the simple things we share God's grace one another. Whenever we attend to each other we definitely act as the intercessors of God's grace. Let us be aware that others also can be intercessors or connectors between God's grace and us, even though they are not Christians. We have done some good things and we can improve them day-by-day. As a matter of fact I have a friend who was denied to attend the Catholic Church because of her past way of living. Now, God has called her to build a prayer group and to get involved in social activity by paying the monthly tuition of about 470 poor students. We are invited to connect other people with God and to be aware of the signs of God in our daily life. Let us offer each other with mutual love that is God's abundance grace. Let us care and get concern for the others without discrimination wherever we are, whomever we face, so that the glory of God may shines in our life.

CONCLUSION
I am very grateful to have the class of Mary in the Scriptures which was given by Megan McKenna in the summer course at CTU (7-11 June 2004) that definitely helps me to recall my own vocation to be a Catholic and missionary-religious-priesthood and to be aware of my practical devotion and understanding also image of Mary. My devotion to Mary is growing from “popular and common” understanding that Mary is “Queen of Heaven” (refers to high position in the Church and neglects the Trinity and the Triune God) toward Mary as one of the faithful disciple of Jesus, from perception that Mary is equal to divine person in the image of beautiful, blue-eyed, blue-white-gorgeous garment as the image of European Church about Mary toward Mary as a poor, oppressed, ignorant of the God’s will, darker, short woman as a real image who could be implemented to the oppressed and marginalized people in our days. I am impressed with the saying of the professor of this class that if we talk about the quality of Mary, we also could use it as well to us as the same people of God. From the perceiving about the magic will be happening if I pray fervently the rosary or the novena of Mary toward better understanding of devotion and prayer itself in the right way, I am invited to be aware to convert myself not to avoid the devotion but to perceive it in a proper and in the spirit of Godself, not for me merely but for others who need our help and prayer. “I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word.”