Monday, January 16, 2017

Today’s Scripture 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
It was the servants who knew that Jesus had performed a miracle. They were the ones to fill the water jars to the brim with water. They were the ones to dip some out and bring it to the chief steward, the head waiter, for him to taste. All he knew was that he was tasting great wine, the best wine. Jesus’ miraculous work was invisible to the steward, even though he, and all the other guests, benefited from Jesus’ blessing in the form of wine.

I love this idea that Jesus can sneak up on us, in a sense, and change things without us knowing how or when it happened. Suddenly something that was as plain as water can become as delicious as wine. But I also love the idea that Jesus invites us to participate, to make the circumstances right for a transformation to take place. “Fill the jars with water,” he says.

The ones who answer his call, who do the hard work of serving, are the ones in this story who are close enough to Jesus to see what he has done. This is Jesus’ first miracle, and the servants are the first ones to understand what Jesus can do. Through their service, they saw him clearly and they came to believe in him. I think it can be the same for us.

Prayer
Generous God of Love, thank you for giving me so many opportunities to serve your people. Thank you for being present in each interaction and allowing me to see the miraculous transformations that take place when I least expect it. Amen.

Written by Nanette Sawyer, Minister for Congregational Life

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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