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 2:2-12
Weddings are a wonderful and sometimes difficult thing for clergy. We love to be present for family, friends and parishioners, but the excesses and anxieties can be overwhelming. Folks put so much worry about the party, the alcohol and food that they forget about the more important stuff. They're celebrating love, a couple joined together and a new family beginning which too often get subsumed by the outfits and the venue costs. Many clergy will tell you they would rather do a funeral. Jesus is put on the spot by his mother at a wedding crisis where he seems reluctant to help out. I get it. And yet, he does help and performs his first miracle with lots of pestering from his mom. We might learn today that even in the most awkward situations, even when the pressure is on and things are annoying, God is still working through us and with us all.
Gracious Creator, who is the author of all love
you place us among families and communities
giving us the power to be a positive force here.
We are often reluctant and unwilling to help
when things seem frivolous and unimportant
neglecting the needs of the people around us.
Empower us, Lord, to be a positive influence
let us not be unkind, unsupportive or reluctant
since you never shy from loving and healing us again. Amen.
