Saturday, February 7, 2015

Today’s Reading  |  John 2:1–11
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. (NRSV)

Reflection
“Not my problem.” His mother says there’s no wine, and Jesus basically says “So?”

It may just be me, but I tend to like the instances in the Gospels when Jesus is a bit snarky and uncooperative. These are the things that help me believe that he really understood what it meant to be human. I think that if I were tapped into the kind of power Jesus was and my mom wanted me to use it to make some sort of celestial beer run, I might get a little snarky too.

I mean, who am I, Mom? The Divine Caterer?

“They’re out of wine! Their party will be ruined! Jesus, help them!”

And Jesus said unto her, “This is so not my problem.”

But Mom being Mom, she just won’t let it go. And Jesus being Jesus, he comes through because she believes in him. And if you figure that each jar held twenty-five gallons, he made about 100 cases of wine. Which was, most likely, about 98 cases more than was necessary. Using the power of God to cater a party is kind of like using a cannon to swat a fly, after all.

We get bogged down in everyday life; we think that our daily trials are matters of cataclysmic importance. We so often look for the miraculous from God, when he has already given us the wherewithal to handle things. “Lord, people are hungry.” Well, go feed them. “Lord, people are sick.” Well, go minister to them. “Lord, people are homeless.” Well, go shelter them. We do have the wherewithal to do these things, but do we have the will? Or do we look to God to relieve us of these burdens?

Mary goes to the servants and says, “Do what he tells you.” And they do. And the needs are filled. If they do nothing, if they just wait for “the miracle,” is there still wine?

Prayer
Lord, please remind me that the answer to so many of our daily problems is found in the mirror. Remind me of the gifts you have given me, and help me use them in the world. Amen.

Written by Rob Koon, Coordinator of Fine Arts

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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