John 2:1-11
The Message Translation
1-3 Three days later there was a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. Jesus and his disciples were guests also. When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus’ mother told him, “They’re just about out of wine.”
4 Jesus said, “Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.”
5 She went ahead anyway, telling the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.”
6-7 Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings. Each held twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus ordered the servants, “Fill the pots with water.” And they filled them to the brim.
8 “Now fill your pitchers and take them to the host,” Jesus said, and they did.
9-10 When the host tasted the water that had become wine (he didn’t know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew), he called out to the bridegroom, “Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you’ve saved the best till now!”
11 This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave, the first glimpse of his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
REFLECTIONS:
Thoughts from DJ:
At the start of 2025 wars, elections and fires rage with a demand for our attention. It is with this backdrop I come to a text in John 2 about Jesus attending a wedding. His mother Marry is so invested in the celebration and hospitality she has pulled Jesus away from the festivities and back with the servants. It has grabbed my attention this week that the realities of the world, the weight of Jesus mission, and even his sense of self importance did not hinder him from being at the wedding in the first place.
Now let’s assume for a minute that Jesus is God in the flesh and has a plan and purpose for his actions. Mary’s request and persistence as a mother and confident women causes the Son of God to act contrary to his own stated intentions. What would lead Marry to believe it was possible and good for Jesus to need her guidance? Do we believe the life and story of Jesus is inviting us to listen to others who don’t always appear to have cultural rank, respect or status?
Then it is Jesus' turn to take the symbols of ritual purity and transform the jars used for washing into the containers of freedom, liberty and joy. Many believe the wedding represents Jesus covenant commitment to the people of God. In this case the miracle of turning water to wine invites people from a focus of purity to the celebration of relationship.
These are the questions I will be pondering this week. Am I so absorbed in the challenge of the week that I am missing the wedding invitation? Are there those in my life with wisdom and guidance to offer that I might be ignoring because of their age, gender or social status? Are their practices in my life yet to be transformed from the bondage of obligation to the joy of freedom?
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Do something helpful for someone else this week that your job does not require.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
What is one strategy you can try to help others understand your pain, without feeling pain from you?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Activism (Seeking change on behalf of the powerless):
Is there a social service agency or advocacy group you like to support? Find time to volunteer with them this week!
Questions for Reflection
When do you feel most allowed to participate in Divine celebration?
Is there any ritual from your tradition that you wish were transformed into a more inclusive form of itself? What does your imagination inspire you to practice with others?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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