2 EPIPHANY - C - 19 JOHN 2. 1-11
One of the marks of wisdom in
old age is that you recall things once said when you were younger that you
discover were true. For example, I have often found myself agreeing with the
words of my homiletics professor who made the oft repeated statement that it is
the more familiar passages of scripture that are the most difficult to preach
on.
Today’s gospel is a good
example. Even the un-churched are familiar with Jesus having changed the water
into wine. What are we to make of it?
John’s gospel is often called the book of “signs.”
In it, he uses seven different “signs” or miracles to make his case concerning
the divinity of Christ. The miracle at the wedding feast in Cana
is the first so-called “sign” Jesus performed, and according to John, “it
manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him.”
That part we can easily
understand. For who would not have been impressed, if not awed if we had been
there and witnessed such a miracle. The servants and the wine steward were
certainly awed and the bridegroom, no doubt left speechless when made aware of
it.
Although we do not hear from them, one would
imagine the guests were happy as the celebration continued without
interruption. Perhaps they were totally oblivious to the fact that the wine had
run out in the first place and of the miracle, Jesus performed.
Jesus’ ability to change water into wine
revealed his divinity, his glory, as John would say. His disciples got the
message even if no one else attending the wedding feast did. No one, save his
mother, expected him to be able to do such a thing.
Even Mary did not know what
he was going to do but simply told the servants to do whatever he said. She was
confident, however, that he could and would do something. She did not feel
rebuked by Jesus’ response, but remained expectant.
An interesting side note.
Mary only appears twice in John’s gospel, here and at the foot of the cross. In
both cases, her name is not used. Jesus simply refers to her as “woman.”
What Jesus did at the wedding
feast in Cana was not in response to Mary’s
announcement that they had run out of wine, for his “hour” as John refers to
it, had not yet come. The hour of Jesus’ full disclosure was to be determined
by God, not by Mary’s desire or by the prompting of any other human being for
that matter.
The miracle at the wedding
feast in Cana was the beginning of the journey
to the cross - the final manifestation of His glory.
The setting here is
significant. In the Old Testament, marriage feasts symbolized the union of God
with his bride, Israel
John uses the term “sign” to
show that these miraculous actions point beyond themselves to the truth that
the Kingdom of God
The six stone jars (one less than the perfect
number 7) indicate the Law, illustrated by the water being reserved for the
Jewish rites of purification. However, both the Law and the rite were
incomplete, imperfect, and unable to bestow life.
The water being changed into
wine, symbolized the old covenant being fulfilled in the new, which is capable
of bestowing life. The over abundance, of the gallons of wine illustrates the
overflowing grace Christ grants to all.
The disciples believed in him
after witnessing the “sign” Jesus performed but not all do.
What is the value of faith
based on miracles? The miracles are not in themselves the gospel, as it were,
but miniatures in which it is represented; and by such signs, some may be
brought to faith in the full significance of Jesus and his work.
N.T. Wright in his commentary
on John, states that the whole point of the “signs” is that they are moments
when heaven and earth intersect with each other. They point away from earth to
a heavenly reality. It is all about transformation, the different dimension of
reality that comes into being when Jesus is present.
It takes a miracle for some
to believe. Their faith in Jesus as Son of God comes through what they see him
do. For others the opposite is true. If you have faith, Jesus says in another
place, you can move mountains. There is value in both cases.
Yet there are still others,
it would seem, that no matter what God has done or is now doing in their lives
to bring them to fullness, they fail to recognize and acknowledge the presence
of Jesus. They continue to live from day to day believing that whatever happens
for their benefit is somehow due to their own efforts or by chance.
The guests, for the most,
were unaware of what had taken place as the celebration continued without
interruption. The servants who filled the jars with water, and the steward who
drew out the best wine and brought it to the bridegroom were obviously
surprised, if not awed. As for the bridegroom, he remained silent and accepted
the praise offered by the steward. All the while Jesus went unacknowledged,
save by his mother and the disciples.
Of all the characters
presented in today’s gospel, it is the mother of Jesus, and the disciples,
whose example we should follow in our relationship to Christ. Mary expected
Jesus to do something to rectify the situation so that the celebration might
continue. Upon their witnessing Jesus’ power to transform, the disciples
believed in Him and continued to follow him.
The transformation from water
to wine signifies the effect that Jesus can have on people’s lives. He came, as
he said in another place, that we might have life in its fullness. It is all
about transformation, the different dimension of reality that comes into being
when Jesus is present, and the new life that is ours when we make ourselves
present to Him. AMEN+
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