“The Finest Wine”
Third Sunday After Epiphany – January 24, AD 2010
St. John II: 1-11
How fitting it is that the first miracle recorded by St. John occurs in the context of a wedding feast. Weddings are typically joyous events as a man and a woman become one flesh as ordained by God, and which signifies “unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church,” as our Prayer Book states. As recorded in each of the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus himself endorses the stance that the joy and feasting of a wedding is a far better response to our Lord’s presence in our midst than long faces and fasting. For example, in St. Matthew 9:15 Jesus says to the disciples of John the Baptist who ask why the Pharisees always fast but not Jesus’ disciples, “Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” Of course, we also know that even the happiest of weddings can be rather stressful at times. “Does the best man have the rings?” “Why isn’t that Unity candle staying lit?” “Did the caterer bring the cake?” I’m sure you could add plenty more examples of wedding stressors. We should take some consolation in knowing that even a wedding at which the Mother of our Lord seems to have had an important role was not without a stressful event. And it is that very stress that our Lord takes upon himself and makes the occasion for an epiphany or manifestation of His glory and power as the Son of God.
Our lesson opens by presenting some basic information. “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.” Cana of Galilee is about four and ½ miles northwest of Nazareth, and is about 3 days walk from where John the Baptist was baptizing. It was the third day after Jesus had called Philip and Nathanael as his disciples and proclaimed to them that “Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” [St. John 1:51] The opening words to our lesson imply that Jesus and His disciples were called to the wedding because of Mary. It appears likely that Mary was related to the family holding the wedding since she comes to Jesus next with a very important concern: the guests want wine but there is no wine. Here it is helpful to know a little about the wedding customs of the time. The nuptial celebrations began with a procession from the bride’s house to that of the bridegroom, which was then followed by a week-long feast. (Imagine having to plan and pay for that affair!) Given the strong hospitality code of the time, it would’ve been humiliating for the bride and groom to run out of wine. So Mary comes to Jesus seeking help with this big problem without any suggestion she is expecting a miracle.
Jesus replies to Mary by saying, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.” Our first reaction is to say, “What a mean thing to say to his mother!” But the translation doesn’t capture the true tone of the response. First of all, the term “woman” is a respectful manner of addressing a lady. Remember what Jesus says to His Blessed Mother as He hangs from the cross, “Woman, behold thy son!” and to the beloved disciple he says, “Behold thy mother!” [St. John 19:26-27]. Massey Shepherd’s Prayer Book commentary provides further clarification by stating that Jesus uses a common Hebraic expression “What to me or to thee” which, “though it often implies rebuke, means in this context merely that she does not understand that He is not only aware of the need but is also in full mastery of His supernatural powers and ready to exercise them at the proper moment.” The words “Mine hour is not yet come” are echoed in several other places throughout St. John’s gospel where Jesus is clearly referring to His passion and death on the cross, but here they seem to suggest the time at which He will start to perform signs that will manifest Himself as the Messiah.
Notice Mary’s response to Jesus’ words indicate her satisfaction with Jesus’ response and her confidence that He is going to do something to help rectify the problem. She tells the servants, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” In this way it can be said that our Lord’s Blessed Mother helps to facilitate the coming miracle. When we pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary, miraculous things can happen for us as well.
Now Jesus acts upon the six water-pots of stone. It was Jewish custom to use water for ceremonial purification by washing hands and utensils before a meal, between courses, and after a meal. Foot washing was also required. Each pot would’ve held about 20 or 30 gallons of water each. The symbolism of what happens next is not hard to grasp. Jesus is creating something new that supercedes the Law of the Old Covenant and that has the power to transform lives. He tells the servants to fill up the water-pots to the brim with water, then draw out some of the contents and take it to the “governor of the feast.” This would be the master of ceremonies or head waiter whose responsibility it was to make sure everything ran smoothly. This man tastes the “water that was made wine” and was so surprised by what he tasted he calls the bridegroom over to say, “Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk then that which is worse: but thou has kept the good wine until now.” You see, it was typical to serve the good wine first before people drank so much that their senses were dulled, then the average everyday wine would be served. This miracle was done to manifest the glory of Jesus the Christ, and strengthen the belief of His disciples. We need to believe in this miracle also, for it is much more than symbolism. It is real. Jesus does amazing things in people’s lives, if they but open their hearts and believe on Him.
Have you ever been betrayed by someone, lied to or cheated out of something, or been falsely accused? How did it make you feel? How did you respond to that provocation? It would be in keeping with our fallen humanity to respond in kind, would it not? But if we allow Christ to work in us, He will draw forth a different kind of response altogether, something totally unexpected yet absolutely authentic. He gives us the power to feed our hungry enemy and give drink to the evil ones who are thirsty. Only Jesus in us can perform the miracle of overcoming evil with good. The exhortations of St. Paul in today’s epistle lesson are a culmination of the litany of Christian behaviors that we heard in last Sunday’s epistle from Romans XII. Love without dissimulation, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer, bless those that persecute you, live in harmony with one another. Considering who our first parents were and the enemy Satan who constantly tries to snare us, this is miraculous behavior, my friends. Hopefully, we as the Church, the Bride of Christ, live out this miracle on a daily basis. When we do, we also can transform the lives of others in Jesus’ name and bring them to the marriage supper of the Lamb. As Revelation 19: 9 states, “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
The hour has come for the finest wine. The blood of our Savior is offered to us at His Holy Altar. Drink of Him and be transformed into a new creation of abundant life, a life of joy, thanksgiving, and peace that passes understanding.
And now unto God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all might, majesty, honor, and dominion, as is most justly due this day, both now and forever, Amen.