mamabishop: Water Into Wine

Sunday, January 14, 2024

Water Into Wine

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there for a few days. John 2:1-12

(This reading was from Friday Morning Prayer but since I wrote about Nathanael already, this seems like a good passage for today)

I often smile about Mary's influence on Jesus' ministry and how often he is less than appreciate of her support, guidance and sacrifice. We don't know much about his growing up years, except that at 12, when his mother and Joseph were worried to death trying to find him, he replied "I must be about my father's business!" Two weary and worried parents faced what all parents face, arrogance and lack of understanding from their children. I often wonder have different Jesus' ministry and the stories of his ministry might be different. The truth is that his ministry was completely dependent, first on Mary's yes, and then to her encouraging him to do what she knew he was capable of. His response to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me?", demonstrates to me that she alone could encourage the best from him. And, she had to put up with a great deal of sass from her son. She ignored his rudeness and helped arrange his first miracle. The best wine, the first miracle happened because Mary was willing to look beyond her son's humanity to the spirit of God working within him. May we too, look beyond the human foibles of the people we minister with, and encourage the spirit of God working in them.

Gracious Creator, source of life and miracles

you brought your son to earth in human form

and surrounded him with tender loving parents

who responded to his humanity with great faith.