Isaiah 62:1-5 (The people who have returned from exile are disappointed and discouraged at how long it is taking to rebuild their land, and the prophet reminds them of the power of God's promises.)
John 2:1-11 (Jesus and his mother attend a wedding in Cana and after three days the wine runs out. It's a major embarrassment to the host of the feast as well as an omen of bad fortune for the newly married couple. At his mother's instigation, when the servants act at Jesus' direction, water is turned into vast quantities of very fine wine, and the party continues even better than before.)
Can you imagine Jesus at a wedding? Does attendance at a wild wedding party fit your picture of Jesus? What effect do you think he'd have on the celebration?
The Jesus I grew up with was a kind of other-worldly loner who bore great responsibility and spent a lot of time either in quiet, anguished prayer or in going around doing good. I think he would have had quite a sobering effect on the party. I picture him either sitting in a corner away from the mayhem of the party thinking noble thoughts, or seeking out quiet, one-on-one conversations of quite serious intent.
(Hmmm ... sounds kind of a lot like me at a party. Funny how we develop an image of Jesus in our own image!)
But the Gospel offers a different picture. Jesus turns out to be the life of the party -- in fact, the one who just when the fun and revelry seem about to crash and burn in a disappointing shortage of wine, replenishes the supply and helps the party continue and even be better than before.
I think there are several miracles in the story of the wedding in Cana.
One is the turning of water to wine -- the ordinary stuff of daily life, when poured out and offered at Jesus' direction, becomes just what's needed for the party to really happen. Makes me wonder what ordinary stuff of our daily life Jesus wants to use to make the kingdom happen? And how we hear his direction about how to use it?
A second miracle maybe is that Jesus was even at the wedding. Surely he could have been somewhere else and doing something more "holy". He had a ministry to prepare for, a mission to begin, disciples to recruit, good news to preach, places to go and people to see, maybe even work to do at home. But he chooses to go with his mom to join his friends and relations at a wedding, and it turns out to be the beginning of the whole darn thing, the first sign of how the kingdom of God is as near as the next drink with our neighbours. Is God (and the kingdom of God) maybe more present in the ordinary places and activities of life (and not as much in the religious activities of life?) than we think?
And a third miracle? How about the fact that Jesus listened to his mom, and did what she asked him to do? She asked him to fix the wine shortage. He said no. She didn't push it -- just turned and told the servants to do whatever he said. And then he did what she asked him to. Are Jesus and God open to suggestion? Even though we can't order God to do everything we want and provide everything we ask for (wouldn't we and the world be in bad shape if we could?), does God maybe welcome more give-and-take in our conversations and relationship than we sometimes imagine is permitted? Maybe Tevye in Fiddler On the Roof in his little talks with God has the more faithful approach than us?
On Sunday, I wonder if we can have some fun with the story and enjoy the good news it has to offer?
L'chaim!
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