Narrative Gospels such as the Wedding at Cana invite us to enter into the story with the life giving currents of abundance and hospitality. What causes you to engage in dialogue with the text? What is meaningful and enters you into Gospel living? What do you push back against. 

The wedding at Cana is the place where Jesus begins his public ministry. Later in the book of John, Jesus will be a part of a series of miracles, or what John calls signs. Jesus heals a child, a paralytic, feeds 5000, walks on water and heals a blind man from birth.  But at the wedding, Jesus is turning water into wine. He is not even the host but the guest at the wedding that he attends with his mother and friends.  From what’s recorded in the Gospel it sounds as if he is reluctant to begin ministry as we hear the words, “It is not my time yet.”  

This is where the narrative takes a turn for the ordinary.  At the coaxing of his mother, Jesus steps into action.  There’s a problem and Mary is certain her son can be of assistance. Surprisingly, it’s not to deal with a situation of crisis but of hospitality.  (But maybe poor hospitality is a crisis of lesser degree.)  I wonder…what made Mary think that Jesus would be able to help in this situation? What outcome did she expect when she encouraged him to go help solve the problem of the wine running out?

And so Jesus asks for the six empty stone jars to be filled with water.

And there we have the first sign. The jugs are filled with more wine. The best wine!  There is more wine but is wine really needed after the guests have already emptied the jars?  That sounds like trouble.

An abundance of wine is a miracle? 

Growing up I often volunteered to be the designated driver. Yes, I am the odd ball in this regard. Wine gives me a headache. I learned early on that alcohol doesn’t agree with me. So I don’t really drink aside from sharing a beer with Seb or having an ounce of wine or sherry on occasion. This situation of Jesus turning delicious water into too much wine is not my my idea of a miracle but more like a disaster. Sorry wine lovers. 

I love a good gathering but one where people are of keen estate and who drink in moderation. So as the sober person at the party, I wonder what the Gospel is here with this miracle?  It’s certainly not pointing us to take up the lifestyle of the mommy wine culture with the motto of: I need wine to get me through the difficulties of parenting.

If I was to rewrite this parable today, the miracle might be reversed. What the world needs more of is good clean water. Jesus might turn an abundance of wine into clean water for all. That would be a welcomed miracle in my eyes.

But I know the wine is only a symbolic detail of the larger Gospel narrative Jesus is showing us and inviting us to be a part.  Some scholars suggest, the wine is a symbol of the abundant joy in the Lord that awaits the people of Israel and all people for that matter. I know it’s really not about the wine.

But somethings in scripture can cause us to pause and ask questions. I think this is a healthy part of how people of faith engage scripture.  A mark of a healthy faith community is engaging scripture together.

The real take away from this text is the abundance in which Jesus gives.  The guests experience the 5 star hospitality, of another guest - Jesus.  Abundance overflows, washing away the daunting decision making limiting lifestyle that scarcity imposes. 

What was running out is now in ample supply.  

What was empty is now filled.

What was in scarce supply is now abundant. 

Jesus transforms the wedding experience into one that is defined by abundance instead of scarcity. 

Jesus seeks to transform our experiences that are defined by scarcity into a life that is defined by abundance.

When life is defined by abundance rather than scarcity, we engage our lives and the world differently.

Think of the story of Cory Ten Boom who found a safe space in her home - a secret room through a hole in the wall -  to hide 800 war refugees and Jewish people who were in danger over a period of 2 years. How easy would it to have taken a stance of scarcity. It would have been much easier to say, It can’t be done.

These are words of scarcity ….

Often it seems as if we are operating with empty jars like at the wedding in Cana…Running low on what we need especially during these pandemic times.

When our vessels are empty, we are out of the way. God steps in to fill the empty places that only God can fill.

What are you running low on in your life?  

Maybe it’s patience, energy, time, finances, compassion, community or connection.

Maybe it’s enough Rapid Tests, N95 masks, healthy workers, or vaccine equality in poorer countries.

The Gospel invites us into this God narrative of abundance. Into this promise that God will work Gospel good news in those empty and running out places. Filling us and the world with a counter intuitive way of living that refocusses us on abundance. That challenges our ways of scarcity with God’s way of abundance.

We know the promises of the future hope, but the reality is that we live in an already and not yet reign of God. We catch glimpses of healing and wholeness among us, but we also see the deep fissures, cracks and crevices.

In God’s reign there is an ample supply.  Even better, the supply is overflowing and comes from the best source.  There is enough of what our families need, of what our communities need, of what the world needs to go around. The fullness of God is revealed and in abundance.  

Jesus saves the best wine for last.  This is something I find to be hopeful. We still have not tasted or seen the best. For someone who is in a very challenging situation, these words provide hope.

Even I can lift a glass,

Cheers to God’s abundance and saving the best for last.

Sources:

Karoline Lewis’ commentary on John as well as commentaries on Working Preacher helped me to remind me of the heart of this wedding narrative.