Sermon - Year C

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

How many people appeared in the wedding story at Cana? The first one mentioned was “the mother of Jesus.” Then, “Jesus also was invited” – this sounds like He got his invitation by association, like that relative in each family we could do without but must be invited to come along because “it’s family”. Jesus wasn’t at the wedding as someone famous or important; at that moment, He was just one of many locals in Galilee. “Jesus […] was invited […] with his disciples.” Based on the chronology of St John’s gospel, there were no more than four of them. So far, we have counted six individuals. When “the mother of Jesus” noticed a potentially huge embarrassment (“they have no wine”), some nameless servants appeared on the scene. We don’t know how many, but the gospel mentioned “six stone water jars” prior to the servants’ appearance, so let’s assume that was their number. Now, we have reached twelve characters in total. After the servants had done their job, they were instructed to take some of the produce to “the master of the feast” to taste it. Having done that, he “called the bridegroom.” By the end of this episode, fourteen individuals have appeared on stage. None of them but Jesus was named; they were all identified only by their respective roles.

When we hear this story, we assume that the miracle performed by Jesus was turning water into fine wine, a standpoint seemingly confirmed by its conclusion: “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.” But there’s another – dare I say better – way of looking at this episode: one that is supremely more applicable to our lives.

From the outset, the narrator made clear that Jesus was one of many guests at the wedding, a startup itinerant teacher that the contemporary Jewish society was familiar with. I guess it’s a bit similar to when a couple of strangers ask me to officiate at their wedding. They reluctantly invite me to the wedding party, hoping I won’t be coming. If I do, nobody expects me to perform any miracles; it’s good enough if I don’t ruin the party and quietly leave early. The unimportance of Jesus is crucial in this story; we must switch off the benefit of hindsight to get it right. He himself appeared determined to keep his profile low. When His mother, having spotted a problem, turned to Him, Jesus was initially quite dismissive: “What does this have to do with me?” Somehow she must have convinced Him to do something, then called in some servants and instructed them: “Do whatever he tells you.” This episode showed her as someone with natural authority, a force to be reckoned with. That aspect was crucial because what followed made absolutely no sense.

When the servants heard from Jesus: “Fill the jars with water,” they must have thought he’d lost his marbles. Remember, in their eyes, he was just a wedding guest. They were asked to bring about 500 litres of water. That was a lot of work: drawing water from the well, carrying it in buckets and filling up the stone jars while the wedding guests wanted to eat and drink, not to have a bath. Why waste so much time and effort on something that wouldn’t rectify the immediate problem of wine running out? “Do whatever he tells you.” Unconvinced, perhaps a bit resentfully, they carried out his orders only because they had been told to do so.

Finally, the job was done, and Jesus told the servants to “draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” Yet another nonsensical instruction that could cost them the prospect of any future job as the master of the feast, being offered water to drink, might not be amused by the apparent prank. “Do whatever he tells you.” Instead, he was so impressed that he called the bridegroom to compliment the drink he’d just tasted: “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” Let me ask you a question: when did the water turn into fine wine? When was it drawn from the well? or carried to the stone jars? or poured into them? or on the way to the master of the feast? We don’t know. It doesn’t really matter. What does is that it wouldn’t have happened without the concerted effort of those involved. None of their individual work had the power to turn water into wine. But together, it did.

“There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” The second reading casts light on our life as a community of faith. None of us here, me included, has everything to keep us going, alive and thriving. But each one of us has something that complements others. No one can say: “I have nothing to offer” because, having received the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, marriage, and the Eucharist, “each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” The only way to discover what form it takes in your case is to try out various things. I’ve heard of and witnessed the transformation of people who reluctantly agreed to do something, discovered and developed talents and skills, and, in the process, found great joy and fulfilment in helping others. Some of them found a life vocation through volunteering. Another obstacle is the fear of failure or not being good enough. However, nobody has ever been born fully grown, shaped and formed. Everyone must go through the development process on many levels, such as physical, mental, social and so on. Failures, flops and mistakes play a crucial and indispensable role. The only way to avoid them is by doing nothing – but that would be the greatest error of judgment.

Our community is obviously imperfect. Moaning about its shortcomings will not change it. Instead, roll up your sleeves and start carrying water with others. Jesus will pick the moment to turn it into wine finer than we could ever make. And there will be plenty of it – more than we need to quench our thirst. “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” “Do whatever he tells you.”