It is certainly not by chance that the second sign in the season of Epiphany is set in
the context of a wedding, nor that the themes of committed love and marriage are to be found in all of our selected
readings for this morning. While some may suggest that the setting was merely a metaphor for the more permanent
relationship being created between God and humanity, there can be no doubt that the recognition of the beginning
of that reality in their lives was a cause for the highest of celebrations in the experience of Jesus' first disciples.
I personally do not doubt that there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee and that Jesus and his followers attended
it. I'm sure that they were popular guests at many such gatherings and enjoyed being there as much as they themselves
were enjoyable to others. I don't have any problem with him doing his first recorded miracle there-- but I do think
as in most of the miracle stories-- we are meant to see this as far more than a one time event.
John has a habit of telling us some earthly story in order to teach us some spiritual truth, and this is probably
no exception. He tells us quite clearly in chapter 20, verse 31 that "these [signs] are written so that you
may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in
his name."
John is obviously very familiar with the scriptures of what we now call the Old Testament. Most Bible scholars
in fact believe he was someone from the priestly class. The "vineyard" that was Israel, is a term that
had been used to describe the new nation throughout those ancient writings, and it had been prophesied that it
was going to see a great transformation. The old "wine" that had sustained and been the cause for ritual
celebration from Moses on was coming to an end, and according to John, Jesus alone would be able to turn their
attention from the old rituals to something new and far better than they had ever dreamed possible before.
The "new wine" would be even more satisfying and more wonderful than anything that anyone had ever tasted,
and it is equally important that it was to be transformed in the old stone jugs, which were standing empty and
waiting. God was about to do a new thing…but in typical God-like fashion without destroying anything of value which
the Creator had previously called into being.
Human-generated things always run their course. That is the primary characteristic of all that is temporal and
the one we struggle so hard and futilely to overcome. They satisfy for awhile, but then they are always in the
end---depleted. What God gives is more satisfying, more abundant, of far better quality, and most importantly…eternal
in nature---it will last forever!
When I feel depleted in my spirit, it is easy to go look for a quick "fill-up" in any number of places.
Chances are, what I find there won't satisfy me any more than what I'm disappointed in already. I know that…but
it won't stop me from repeating the search. I also know that it is only when I approach God, and tell God what
I think I need-and when I am ready to allow God to make the final decision, that God, and God alone is able to
fill me up with the best that I will ever know.
I might not know how it will be accomplished,--I might not understand the value of the gift I am being given at
the time,--I just have to trust, as Mary did,--that God knows best what to do. My responsibility is simply to receive
it.
Maybe a big part of today's lesson is that God can't move effectively in us until we are depleted in spirit and
recognize that God in Jesus Christ is all that can truly fill us up. This may not be true in other faith journeys,
and like the relationship forged between God and Christians at baptism, that is a truly personal thing between
God and the individual believer. Our true satisfaction however is clearly meant to be found in Christ and Christ
alone, for we have "married" Christ, and the two are now become one.
The first trip I took with this congregation was to Israel. It was good we went there when we did as it has not
really been safe for tourists to return since,--and that had nothing to do with us I might add. One of our stops
was at "the traditional site of Cana." That's how they list it in the guide books. Some of you no doubt
remember it well. There was a church, and a large rack of bells and many huge jars and urns. Of course, you could
purchase wine of a rather poor quality, and any number of other wedding related souvenir trinkets as a keepsake
at dozens of shops along the way.
If we had had a couple of extra days, we could have gone to the real Cana-they think they have found it,--- but
it's hard to get to and unless you have an archeologist's eye there's not much to see. People have been going to
the site we saw since the 2nd century, and that's pretty impressive when you stop to consider that it's not every
day you have a chance to visit an 1800 year old "tourist trap." The important point I want to make however
is that the recorded miracle that happened there had nothing to do with the location anyway.
A lot of it, maybe the most important part, was about the role of the servants. You almost miss them if you aren't
careful, but had they not been present this story might never have happened. You'll find there are great similarities
to their behavior in this case with that of the disciples in the later "feeding of the five thousand."
Both times, Jesus himself does not perform the miracle, he involves others who do it for him. In fact, you could
say he is rather dependent upon those who believe he can do something about an otherwise hopeless situation.
Over the years some people have been greatly troubled at the way Jesus seems to respond to his mother when she
appeals to him for help. After all this is our first example of someone who believes that Jesus can save what appears
to be an impossible situation. John records Jesus' reply as "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me?"
It sounds very cold in our English translations, when in actuality it has the kind of compassionate and sympathetic
concern one directs to a person of well meaning but clearly limited understanding; someone who is so caught up
in the impossibility of what is happening before their eyes but who still believes that there has to be meaning
there and who is appealing to you for reason. He uses that same term, once again to Mary on another occasion. This
time it is at the foot of the cross, where despite his own pain, he looks at her in her agony and commends her
into the care of John saying "Woman--behold your son. Son behold your mother." The servants have in truth
at last become a "family."
At the wedding feast he has the servants draw the water, the servants fill the jugs and then the servants give
out the wine. No doubt about it, Jesus was the source of the inspiration, but he involved the trust and response
of ordinary people who perhaps went against their own logical thought processes in order to accomplish it!
In truth they were allowing themselves to live out the role of promise, they entered fully into their belief and
into covenant relationship. This is yet another example of God's upside down, inside-out economy, where the first
are last and the least become the first and the best. It turns our normal way of thinking on its head to believe
that you don't have to be perfect to become perfect; you don't have to have everything to accomplish everything,
and you never have to be the best one suited for the job---to become the only one God wants to take it on.
In our own time we continue to struggle with the same worldly standards when it comes to judgment, just as the
wine steward noted there and then. When we think something or someone is important we convince ourselves that "You
never get a second chance to make a first impression," and so we go all out believing you should always "Put
your best foot forward."
We literally knock ourselves out trying to impress others by serving the best first and hoping they will be too
drunk with the caliber of our presentation or too distracted by the fanfare to notice when our less than perfect
side begins to show and the consistency of our performance wears thin. It goes without saying that if you intend
to have a lasting relationship with someone who you truly want to be a part of your life they are going to get
to know your faults as well as your fabulous character traits. Trying to keep the mask of perfection in place is
such a tedious job, it only hastens the inevitable discovery of the truth we've tried so hard to disguise. How
wearying vanity is…and how very refreshing the discovery of acceptance and love for who we really are!
But not everyone is so concerned with image in order to create the right impression; some simply work in the background,
content to empower others.
Jesus does his first public miracle, or sign, in the kitchen,---not with the invited guests but with the servants.
The groom didn't see it, the bride didn't see it, even the steward was elsewhere. There was no post-serving announcement
made to the gathering regarding the true source of this lately produced and truly fantastic beverage. This epiphany
was only for the servants!
Shades of those nativity shepherds! The least, the last, and the lowest do count! Talk about a refreshing idea
being introduced at the start of Jesus' public ministry,--- and not only do they count---they can be the best ever---and
the impact of their contribution can have eternal worth!
That's not to say that the context of the wedding itself was just a coincidence and in and of itself not important.
Even though the celebrations were very different than the ones we have today there was still an incredible amount
of preparation and planning involved. As I've mentioned to you before, those wedding receptions lasted for seven
days, but even then people seemed more aware of the fact that the preparation we put into even the most complex
of weddings is still the easiest part.
The work is still to come---and so is the reward.
Weddings like baptisms are always about future possibilities. Last Sunday, devoted to the baptism of the Lord,
we celebrated a remembrance of our baptism, and what that means beyond the event of the baptismal day. The water
of our baptism can actually become the wine of our faith, and every day it can become better than the day before!
It would have been almost impossible for Christian communities in which a special meal of bread and wine prefigured
the future feast of salvation not to sense an allusion here to their eucharistic meal.
Similar allusions are present in chapter 6. In fact, throughout John's gospel the symbols have a common focus where
Jesus is the bearer of eternal life. If we read John within the broader framework of the writings of early Christianity,
this story is symbolizing the life which is promised when the vision of hope and transformation becomes a reality.
A wedding day, entered into fully by both parties, symbolizes the end of an era. It is not the end of two people---with
their diverse gifts, talents, and experience, but it is meant to be the end of thinking, loving, and living separate
lives. It celebrates this good news of transformation into what is expected to be so much more,---so much better.
The "third day" may well be a subtle allusion to Easter, for John's gospel is always conscious of timing
and makes a point of saying that only after Jesus' death, resurrection and return to the Creator do the greater
possibilities become reality. For then the Spirit is given,---the mission expands, and the community meets to reconstitute
the presence of Jesus in their midst and to celebrate the new reality in the meal of his internalized body and
blood.
The servant church, composed of former men and women, slave and free, gentile and Jew-- becomes the bride of Christ.
We are married in the name of Jesus…and just as surely as we say on those solemn occasions…"Those whom God
hath joined together…let no human being put assunder," it is a union not to be taken lightly, meant to last
forever!
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