Dear Friends:
Our Gospel story today comes from John 2:1–11. It is the famous story of the wedding feast at Cana. Jesus’ attendance at this wedding is the basis on which the Church proclaims marriage to be a sacrament, endorsed by Jesus himself.
I think we are all familiar with the story. The host ran out of wine and Jesus’ mother informs him of this. At first, Jesus hesitates, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come. ” Jesus is not ready to start his ministry. However, because his mother asks, he will attend to the problem. Think about what Jesus did. There are six stone water jars used for ceremonial washing. Jesus asks the attendants to fill them to the brim. There is now somewhere between 120 and 180 gallons of wine. Not just any wine, it’s the best the steward ever tasted! When Jesus does someone a favor, in this case, a miracle, he doesn’t fool around.
I wonder what Jesus is trying to tell us by supplying all this really, good wine. Perhaps he is trying to make us understand that God’s goodness and kindness are greater than anything we can understand. Maybe he’s trying to tell us that if we put our trust in God, God will take care of everything for us. Now, this doesn’t mean that God will come down here with a magic wand and solve all our problems. It does mean that God is with us always and gives us the best of care. If we accept his offer, our problems will become much more bearable. God will give us what we need to get through whatever life hands us. Isn’t that being worth letting God be first in our lives?
Peace and All Good!
Deacon Jim
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