following

 The reading at Mass today was Jesus' first recorded miracle, at the Cana wedding. It indicates that the mother of Jesus was the one who was invited, and because of her, Jesus and disciples were also there. It may have been someone she was rather close to, because of her concern when the wine was running out.

Anyway, we know the story, but it struck me today that the text says afterward, "his disciples began to believe in him."  So, they were going around with him before they saw any miracle, or manifestation of who he might be. That's interesting. 

Have you seen this recent AI image of Jesus floating around online?

Very compelling, isn't it? It was derived from examining the Shroud of Turin. Imagine a man, two thousand years ago, looking even half as alive (intense?) as this man, going around to certain humble "blue-collar" workers, saying, "Come, follow me." He wasn't known yet, there were no public miracles yet - it's not as if he showed them one or two to convince them - but they went with him. Very, very interesting.

His intensity is rather scary. He couldn't have been scary, though - that would be counter-productive, wouldn't it? He didn't come to scare us. The opposite! But still, I do like this image. He is beautiful and very alive. Does he look like a Prince of Peace? Maybe not, but he doesn't look like anything could scare him, or deter him from his purpose. What may be lacking in this picture would be a look of love in his eyes, which AI would be incapable of (in my opinion). 

There was a cry, "Behold, the bridegroom!

Come out to meet him!"

-  Matthew 25:6