Bible Text: John 2:1-11 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes
You may not know it but tomorrow is called, “Blue Monday”. In 2005 a travel company came up with this pseudo-scientific equation to determine that the third Monday of the month of January is the most depressing day of the year. The equation, which looks pretty detailed on paper, balances things like weather, time since Christmas, failure to commit to new year resolutions, monthly salary and debt, as it is about this time that people receive their credit card bills from December purchases. Note of course that it was a travel company who created this term as a marketing ploy to get people to ironically spend more money on a vacation. A vacation, being one way in which people are able to, “avoid their problems.” In case you are curious, supposedly the happiest day of the year falls between June 21 and the 24th, but there is no scientific equations for that. While it really has no academic backing, as a former chaplain at a University I can tell you mid-January was always a down or blue time for students. In part due to the aforementioned variables like weather, times since they were last home, and of course debt but also in part because it was about that time that their first semester marks came it. As a result the Multi-faith department at the University of Victoria would always put on a party on the third Monday in January. We would hand out yoyos- symbolizing the ups and downs of life, jars of bubbles to symbolize letting our troubles go, and popcorn- mostly because, who doesn’t enjoy some popcorn. Students would laugh, smile, and mingle with one another and it really made a difference. It was always funny how such a simple party, could change their attitude for that one hour, one day, maybe even week, and even possibly turn their outlook for their whole term around. I’m not saying our simple parties for the students were life changing but they did provide a moment in time when the students could play, even lighten their load and help them problem solve, without them spending a penny and it was often the first time students met with the chaplains and it helped us build trust- some of those relationships would end up lasting throughout their entire academic career and even beyond. For many of those students they learned of God’s presence in their lives in that one simple moment. Sometimes it takes a party to do that- to find joy, build trust and learn of, even witness to God’s presence.
The party at the wedding celebration in John certainly gives us an opportunity to find joy in amongst some darker passages, it builds trust between Jesus and his disciples and it is the first public act in which Jesus demonstrates his abilities and thus God’s presence. While this is Jesus’ first public act it is also an example of Jesus fulfilling a need. It might seem odd to us that the need is alcohol, but of course, as with most Biblical texts, there is more to it than that.
What starts out as a dismal and embarrassing story for the bridegroom and host, ends up turning it into one of the most unique parties any of the guests have ever attended. It begins with the shameful realization that there is no more wine. In an honour/shame society like that of Jesus’ era, to run out of something as the host would mean public disgrace. People wouldn’t remember the good company, the marriage ceremony or the delicious food, all they would remember is that the host ran out of wine. The duties of hospitality was a matter of highest significance. This kind of social failure would have been a complete loss of face from which one might never recover- and the stigma could extend to the family- even in subsequent generations. Don’t think I’m being hyperbolic here- wedding ceremonies themselves often lasted more than four days. They were very big deals in the life of a family- something that they planned for, the minute a child was born. This is not about running out of wine per se, but about losing one’s status in society.
Upon realizing this social faux pas, Jesus’ mother, turns to him and states that they are out of wine. Of course, the implication is that she wants Jesus to do something about it. Jesus’ response often catches us a little off guard as he turns to her and says, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” First, let me just point out that Jesus, often as John writes, calls women, “woman” so he is not being rude to his own mother but rather we have lost something in the translation. He is addressing his mother with the same feminine noun that he will use when saving the life of the woman about to be stoned or when he reveals his truth to the woman at the well. Also, a better translation of “What concern is that to you and to me?” in Greek would be, “is that our concern?” And when Jesus says his hour has not yet come Jesus is not disregarding the needs of this host but rather pointing out something about his eschatological presence. Within John’s Gospel in particular, it is pointed out that no human knows the hour upon which the kingdom will come, not even Jesus’ mother. The hour being that moment in time when the kingdom comes in a restored relationship between humanity and God. It is God alone who knows that hour. But as I mentioned this is a story about relationship- the relationship between the bridegroom and the entire village is at stake and Jesus is all about restoring relationships.
In true motherly fashion, Mary ignores Jesus’ comments, about whose concern this is or even what hour it is- or more precisely she trusts that Jesus will do the right thing and Mary turns to a lowly servant and tells him to do whatever Jesus says. Now there have been many discussions about the quantities of wine and why John feels it is relevant to include the statistics, that there were six stone jars that held twenty to thirty gallons each. There is indeed symbolism in the changing of purification water into wine and throughout history people have seen that as an example of Jesus replacing the Jewish rites with a new covenant. My opinion is that it has nothing to do with numerology or replacing water for wine but rather the point John is making is that there was A LOT of wine- far too much for the community to consume- even if weddings were big deals and lasted many days. Let us not forget, they had already consumed enough that the host had run dry. And so perhaps this is more foreshadowing that through Jesus, grace overflows, that there is an overabundance, that we will never be able to comprehend the vastness of God’s love- that there is enough to go around with even lots to spare.
There is also something else unique about this sign or miracle. There is one very short verse, in fact, in our NRSV version it is in parenthesis. The chief steward- the one responsible for this debacle- tastes this new one and has no clue where it came from but is pleased with the results. The only ones who do know, where this wine came from and how, are the servants. This is certainly a foreshadowing of who Jesus will serve, preach to and teach. These servants, who were likely of a low caste, become the first insiders to know who and what Jesus is capable of. One’s social status does matter to Jesus or to the revealing of God’s messiah. It is also through this sign, or miracle, that the disciples believe. They trust in Jesus, they see first hand his abilities, they know they are in the presence of God.
It can be easy to trivialize this sign- after all it does not heal, it does not feed, it does not raise the dead like most of Jesus’ signs or miracles. Instead it shows Jesus enjoying himself and participating in a party. But this is a story about Jesus’ abundant goodness. That Jesus is willing to save us not only from ourselves but lifts us up when we fail- when we no longer follow our new year’s resolutions or have fallen into debt. Through Jesus we can restore those relationships. Jesus shows us how to trust and believe and most importantly Jesus shows us that God gives us grace upon grace.
Following the service next week we will have a brief meeting to decided whether or not to become Sponsors for a refugee family. I too was nervous, concerned about whether we could do it, not really sure about the process. And then I met with some folks who showed me that we have an abundance of grace and generousity. We have an abundance of resources. We also trust that God is among us. And so, while it isn’t my decision- I believe we can do it… and we won’t be doing it alone. It is definitely worth having a party! Amen