In John’s Gospel, this morning, we read, “Jesus did this, the first of his signs in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory and his disciples believed in him.” In this reading, we have about the miracle Jesus performs at the wedding at Cana. In John’s account, this is the first sign that he performs and it is one of abundance in sharing in a joyful celebration, and this seems remarkable, it is his done at the request of his mother, with whom, from all readings of the Gospels, he was very close. I invite you to reflect for a moment about a time when you have been the recipient of great hospitality. How did the love and sharing, the values of your host become evident in that moment. Let us pray, God of the Feast, Holy One of abundant joy and grace, open us to you. Open us to trust in love that never runs out, open us to follow your lead to all that brings renewal in our lives. Open us to the journey of your Son in this season of Lent that we may journey with him and share in the moments of grace and peace. Amen.
As we begin this season of Lent, this time of preparation for the most sacred day in our Christian calendar, Easter, we are invited to a time of prayer, a time of fasting, and a time of repentance. It’s a time for us to pause and to be intentional, to take seriously our spiritual lives and to imagine new ways we might embrace the days ahead so that we may feel enriched and ultimately closer to our God, closer to this Jesus of Nazareth. I’d like to share a story about slowing down…An American traveler planned a long safari to Africa. He was a compulsive man, loaded down with maps, timetables, and agendas. Men from a local tribe had been engaged to carry the cumbersome load of supplies, luggage and “essential stuff.” (You know, as North Americans, we can’t go anywhere without taking “stuff” with us. And then we buy more stuff when we get there. Just sayin’.)
On the first morning, they all woke very early and traveled very fast and went very far. On the second morning, they all woke very early and traveled very fast and went very far. On the third morning, they all woke very early and traveled very fast and went very far. And the American seemed pleased. On the fourth morning, the tribesmen refused to move. They simply sat by a tree. The American became incensed. “This is a waste of valuable time. Can someone tell me what is going on here?”
The translator answered, “They are waiting for their souls to catch up with their bodies.” (Terry Hershey)
We might be surprised that on this first Sunday of Lent, we encounter a story about a wedding, a party, a gathering of joy and laughter, of celebration. Jesus is there with his mother and we imagine him enjoying himself and perhaps a bit bothered at his mother’s request. And yet, faithful son, he finds a way to help out. And, it is not simply a story of what John calls a sign or we might call a miracle; it is a story first and foremost of kindness. (They’re Out of Wine poem)
Mary and Jesus want to help their friends out so that they won’t be embarrassed if the wine runs dry. They want to help their friends continue the beautiful celebration. And we all know that moments of joy and celebration as a sacred as moments of sorrow. Mary emerges in this story as a strong person of faith and I imagine she has been all along this journey, accepting what he has been called to do, even if it will take him far away from her. By the end of John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene is the first witness to the Resurrection, but here, it is Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is the fist to trust in his works and the first to witness this sign. For the Gospel writer, the signs are not simply the works known as miracles, they are the workings of God through Jesus for the purpose of helping others to believe. They are signs pointing to the abundant love of God.
The story of the wedding at Cana comes right after we read of Jesus’ calling of his disciples, early in the text, and it concludes with the disciples starting to grasp what this man Jesus might be about. Is it the ‘miracle’ of Jesus changing the water into wine that convinces them or is their coming to know Jesus and being in his presence, or is it their participation in this sacramental moment that moves them most? And how is this a sign to us of God’s love in the world?
We are invited to imagine that God’s love is extravagant, that it is offered in such abundance that it often exceeds our ability to make sense of all of it. That which is extravagant exceeds all reason…we sometimes call those who have so much in the way of material goods above and beyond anything they might need or even want extravagant, but what is extravagant love? Can we wrap our heads around that? We can have glimpses of it in those persons who seem to share their time or resources or care with us in ways that are beyond measure. We know it when our love for our children or our parents or other special people in our lives overflows in our hearts and transcends our capacity to speak of it in any reasonable way. A dear friend used to talk about checking on his kids every night before going to bed, and as he would bend down to kiss them goodnight, he would think. I would do anything for them. I would give my life for them.
What I really appreciate about this sign of Jesus is that it is performed at a wedding, at a aparty. I deeply appreciate the great miracles of healing that are spoken about in each of the four Gospels, and I can only imagine what it must have felt like to be healed from something chronic, deeply painful and difficult that caused great suffering. That is indeed miraculous not only for the person healed but for all who have journeyed with them and suffered alongside them witnessing their suffering.
In this reading, though, and as we begin this Lenten journey, we’re invited into the celebration; we are invited to rejoice and to enjoy the social gatherings that add joy to our days and to our lives. Many of us come away from a wonderful gathering of family or friends feeling renewed and uplifted and ready to continue the important work of our lives. These moments refresh us and help us to be mindful of the joy that is offered to us. That’s also what God invites us to, what Jesus welcomes us into.
We understand that this sign takes place at a wedding which is a great symbol of hope that two people join their lives together and invite all who love them into that journey. We become part of a larger family and it unites us in love. Jesus may be trying also to teach us about unity. How do we bring people together? How do we respond to all that divides families and communities? John’s Gospel provides us with this wonderful response; we may help achieve unity by being kind.
There probably were other ways Jesus might have helped this family solve the issue with the wine shortage, but Jesus shows his kindness by helping this family in a quiet way so that they would not feel any embarrassment. It was in some ways a pretty simple thing. Jesus models this quiet, compassionate presence, and he helps this family avoid what might have been a rather embarrassing problem. His disciples are watching, however, they are paying attention. And we might wonder what they were learning. Were they able to take in this lesson in love, this lesson in great kindness?
It really is such a simple thing. We all understand how it feels to be treated with kindness, a kind word or gesture can make our whole day. And each of us has the capacity to offer that. We certainly don’t need to be in a position of power. WE need a heart that is sympathetic and understands might be embarrassed and we can offer a solution. We can be kind. And imagine if it might be contagious, that such unexpected acts of kindness spread out and lifted others in their lives. And these gentle acts of kindness can help unite us one to another. We can witness the vulnerability of another human being or they may witness that in us and we understand that we are walking on common ground, that we are walking on holy ground.