Food and drink are an essential part of celebrations and can make or break the experience. That’s why, when I was a parish priest, we always had good quality bread at communion, the best wine, the best coffee and cake. It was part of the ministry of hospitality we shared together. Every newcomer, every guest we hadn’t seen for a while, would know that this was a place of welcome, hospitality, generosity and abundant life.
In the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the first that Jesus does in his public ministry is to preach. In John’s gospel, things are a little different. The first thing that happens in Jesus’ public ministry is a celebration.
John begins the passage with, ‘after three days….’ But if you count the number of ‘and the next day’ s, it doesn’t add up to the third day. John isn’t interested in that mistake though. He gives us the ‘three-day’ reference because, like that last and most ultimate sign on the first Easter Day, this is a story of resurrection and transformation.
I love wine – what miracle could be better? Water into wine. The thing is, there is nothing wrong with water – but what Jesus does is to make that which is good and pure, even better. When things are running out, Jesus provides not just a little, but an abundance. When we run out of spiritual wine, the psalmist reminds us that when we trust in our shepherd, ‘my cup brims over’. (Ps 23).
The real miracle is that regardless of what happens to us today or tomorrow; regardless of what losses we suffer; regardless of what hills we have to climb; regardless of what hurts we have to endure – the grace of God greets us and is inexhaustible. The miracle is that God takes ordinary people, ordinary things, ordinary events and changes them into new wine, and gives them to us as gifts of love and grace. Gifts that strengthen, encourage and heal. I cannot tell you what will happen in your life tomorrow. But whatever it is, God’s grace and strength to face it will meet you on that day too. And it is good wine, the best wine, inexhaustible, abundant.
Today, as we paint in our minds he picture of that miracle, we can be amazed at the abundance of what Jesus did. I got 4 bottles of wine as part of my Christmas present stack this year….in this miracle Jesus provided wine enough to fill probably 700 bottles. As we paint that picture in our mind’s eye, I see each of us in that picture too. We are painted into the scene. When Jesus said to the servant, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward” I see each of us in the picture drawing out the wine and taking it to someone else.
That’s what we do in church, isn’t it? For one another in this place. And for one another in whatever place God puts us. We carry the wine to others. It is the wine of completeness, of the everlasting joy of the kingdom. This is no drunken stupor, it is a joy that brings no hangover – it is the joy of a kingdom that knows no limits, a joy that empowers and equips. It is a joy that builds up and enables us to grow into the Christ we worship – to grow to be Christ’s hands, feet, heart and eyes – that we might look at the world and see and feel what God, in Jesus, sees and feels – and respond with compassion and self-giving love.
John tells us that this was the first SIGN – not a miracle – a sign. It was a pointer along the way, directing our attention to the things that matter.
Sometimes it is easier to expect miracles to happen elsewhere, in fact anywhere but on our doorstep. But this sign challenges us to believe that God will reveal his glory and his abundant provision in our daily lives, on our doorsteps. And this story is particularly appropriate for us this week since we are in the season of Epiphany which is all about the revelation of Jesus Christ. We began Epiphany with the revelation of God’s glory in the baby Jesus to the Wise Men, then the revelation of Jesus Christ in his baptism when the voice from heaven said ‘this is my beloved Son’, and now the revelation of Jesus’ glory in his first miracle. We are in the season of epiphanies, of the revelation of God’s glory – but if we are not open to seeing them, they may just pass us by.
In this coming week, may God’s generous love be around you, especially when you run into situations where shortages and needs, whether of food, love, care, justice or peace, tempt you to despair. And ask yourself, as children of a generous God, who calls us to be his both disciples (people who are learning along the Way) and Apostles (people who are sent out into the world to reveal God’s love) what can we do to express that generosity and love to others? Someone is waiting for our ministry – our answer to that question this week. The task is to notice whether or not they have ‘run out of wine.’
Yeh think I’m running out of wine just now.but thanks for the words , just finding hearing difficult !!