John 2:1-12 (NRSV)
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.
"They have no wine!" Now that's something you don't want to hear at a party, especially a wedding. In this story of Jesus and his disciple's attendance at the wedding, we don't even know who is getting married because that's not the point. Jesus' presence and his action are. This is held up as Jesus' first miracle, the one that revealed his power and glory, and the scripture tells us that when his followers saw, they believed.
There is an old joke among those denominations that didn't subscribe to the temperance movement. It goes something like, "our lord knew how to have a good party; his first miracle was making wine out of water." I'm not bashing those who wish to abstain from alcohol. However, those who want to forgo shouldn't tell those who partake every now and then that they do something religiously wrong. But this story is about more than that.
This account of the revealing of Jesus' power and glory sets the stage for John's gospel, letting us in on some of the miraculous things that we shall see as it unfolds. Something that we wouldn't expect. Things like restoration, healing, prophecy, and casting out demons. Jesus is on the move, but first, he and his followers are at a party with their friends. A party for a wedding that lasted 7 days in the Jewish tradition. No wonder they were out of wine.
This Lent is a time for self-evaluation and reflection on our relationship with God. How do we live more fully into a relationship with God? How might we acknowledge the power and glory in the life of Jesus with our actions? How will we help others enjoy the party?
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