John 2:1-11
Epiphany 2 / Year C
This morning we learn about
Jesus’ first miracle recorded in John’s gospel.
He is attending a wedding festival, which, at the time, is a celebration
lasting up to an entire week. At some
point during the prolonged gathering the wine runs out. So Jesus, in a nonchalant manner, converts
the water used for hand and foot washing into the best wine of the feast. The account itself contains a diverse cast of
characters we should get to know.
First there is Mary, the
mother of Jesus. She is at the wedding
to celebrate. Because she is not a part
of the immediate family, she has no specific duties to tend. Still, she is taking in everything and is
keenly aware of how things are going.
She senses the struggles of others and feels their pain. Because she is a deeply spiritual person, Mary
brings the needs of others in intercession to Jesus. It is fair to say he would never have changed
the water had his mother not placed before him the need for more wine.
Then there is the chief
steward. He is working incredibly hard
trying to ensure the event is a success.
He is the person who tends to the details. He is the one who must stretch the precious
resources to meet the numerous needs of the celebration. He is the one doing his best imitation of the
little boy who plugs the holes in the dyke with his fingers. He is the one on whose leadership everyone
else depends.
Next there are the
servants. They too are not invited guests. They are here to serve the needs of
others. They are not the chief steward
who is charged with anticipating what is needs of others. They must receive direction before they
act. But once given their marching
orders, you can count on them to march, even if the order is to serve drinks
from the water in the cleansing jars.
Then there are the
disciples. They are the new folks on the
scene; a hodge-podge collection of people who have recently gathered around
Jesus. They do not know him as well as
the others in the story. They do not
even know each other. But they find
themselves at the celebration because they have been invited to accompany
Jesus. This, for them, is a time of
discovery. It is a time to bond
together. They are not going to be asked
to intercede, like Mary, or lead, like the chief steward, or to give of
themselves, like the servants. All these
things will be asked of them later and at a much higher level, but not today.
The final character in the
story is the bridegroom. While the narrative
focuses on Jesus, the people at the event our Lord is attending are focused on
the ‘man of the hour.’ A profound joy
has come into his life and he wants to share the good news with those closest
to him.
I suppose the lesson to be
drawn from this story is Jesus’ deep desire to keep the party going… even to
make it better than before. It is a
story about sustainment, rejuvenation, and even revival. By describing the rich diversity of actors at
the wedding, John wants to draw us into the story. He wants us to see here and now in our time
what those people experienced that day at the wedding. And, if you shift the setting of the story
from the wedding to the life of our congregation, it has something insightful
to say to us on the occasion of our Annual Meeting.
Like Mary, we have people
who are acutely tuned in to the burdens of others. They intercede, through prayer and action, to
embody God’s abiding presence for those who are in a challenging place.
Like the chief steward, we
have people whose goal is to make this church the kind of place where others
can find God and know God’s love. They perform
miracles with the resources at hand. Day
after day, week after week, they joyfully offer their leadership and labor in service
to others for the glory of God.
We have many whose
contributions mirror those of the servants.
They are hard-working, dutiful, team players. When asked to help, they
will help – without hesitation, without compliant. They understand the value of servanthood and
offer what is needed when it is asked for.
In the disciples I see the
most recent members to join our parish family.
They have been drawn here from diverse walks of life for many varied
reasons. One thing binds them together: they
sense the presence of Jesus here – perhaps in our worship, or in our common
life, or in our care for one another.
They are learning about us and about one another. They are enjoying the party and some day will
take on a significant role in our common life.
Just as with the
bridegroom, there are times in life when each one of us becomes the focal point
of our faith community. It may be an
occasion of great joy or a moment of deep loss and sorrow. You will be lifted up and receive the love
and support of the parish family all the while discovering first-hand how
deeply God loves you.
Let’s celebrate how the same
kind of people who gathered at the wedding feast are assembled here today. Well does Paul observe in our second reading there
are a variety of gifts in a faith community, but it is God who allots, then activates
them all.
So, there they are at the
wedding and here we are in the midst of the 383rd year of our parish’s
existence. More than once over this span
of time the wine has run out, yet always Jesus finds a way to renew our life
and work as a congregation. As the
experience of COVID fades into the past, it feels as if a new wine is flowing. Thanks be to God.
The sign which Jesus
performs in Cana wonderfully transforms the festival at hand. It averts disaster through such an
understated miracle chances are most people are not even aware it has
occurred. All they know is the wine
served toward the end of the celebration is even better than the wine served at
the beginning. We give thanks the same
feeling of joy and vitality which kept the Cana festivities going, by the grace
of God, flows through our parish today.
