[Propertalk] Fwd: John 2:1-11; 1 Cor 12:1-11

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded, with Linda Kraft's permission:

EPIPHANY 2c                                              January 17, 2009
John 2:1-11                                                   Holy Trinity ELCA
1 Corinthians 12:1-11                                 Trumbull, CT
 
            A friend and I were discussing our gospel lesson for today.  He said, “It's an irritating little passage for me, difficult to resolve completely. Having the advantage of retrospect that we do today, I wonder why does Jesus say ‘My hour has not yet come’?  What does he mean? It isn't my time to perform miracles yet?  And what convinced Him to go ahead and make the wine after all?”
            That set me to wondering.  Could it be that Jesus, like all of us (He was fully human, after all), didn't realize he had the gift to do something for others until someone else pointed out his ability? Aren’t WE like that some days?  We don't realize we have the gift of compassion or listening or providing for others until the moment the challenge presents itself. Doubting our own ability, we often need a nudge from another to put our gifts to good use. Mary may have remembered from the angel's first visit that Jesus would have God's ability to change life. I wonder if SHE was testing Jesus, and at the same time testing the angel's words of promise.
            You and I have a habit of doing that, you know.  We get all caught up in what needs to be done this week, this hour, this minute – right this second! – and we lose sight of the bigger picture.  The routine of our daily lives becomes just that, routine.  Many of us work really hard to make ends meet. Or we spent a long time preparing for retirement and we just want to enjoy it.  And then reality hits us smack across the face.
            Our calendars fill up.  We over-commit, or before we know it we have doctor’s appointments or music lessons or conference calls or other obligations running all over our time frames.  We lose out on enjoying time with others, our family, friends and church.  We start saying no to things we’d really enjoy doing.  No, I can’t help with the Souper Bowl collection because I have to be out of town on business that weekend.  No, I can’t chaperone a lock in because I have a contract or report to finish writing.  No, I can’t go to the Food Pantry because I’m just exhausted from this week’s running around.
            We all do it.  We do it all.  We do too much on too little sleep, too little prayer and too little faith.
 
            Why was Jesus at that wedding in Cana?  Was it his little sister’s wedding; is that why his mother knew the wine was all gone?  Did Jesus, as the family’s eldest member – assuming Joseph was out of the picture by then – did Jesus have some kind of financial responsibility for providing the wine?  Was Mary testing Jesus to see if he was ready to do what she knew he could do?  Did Jesus – fresh from his temptations in the wilderness – think that this wine thing could be one more temptation testing his righteousness?
            The questions abound, and the author of the gospel of John is the only one of the evangelists to record this situation.
            Whatever the motivation may have been, Mary mentions to Jesus that the host is out of wine.  And this is only the third day of the week-long wedding rituals.  How embarrassing!  But, Jesus doesn’t seem to get her meaning.  He says it’s none of their business and wonders what she expects him to do about it, if anything.  Still, Mary’s not giving up.  She simply tells the servants to “do whatever he tells you.”  Next thing you know there’s hundreds of gallons of fine wine ready to gladden their hearts.
 
            Sometimes, when life throws us a curve, we wonder how we’ll survive.  What would we do if, tomorrow, we found ourselves in the hospital with a stroke? Or the doctor diagnosed cancer? Or the house went into foreclosure? Or a spouse, child or loved one suddenly died?  What would we do if, in the middle of the night the earth began to shake and before we knew what was happening, the roof was caving in right on top of us?
            How would we survive?
            The old platitudes are sometimes true.  We’ve all heard, “God never closes a door without opening a window” and “God never gives you more to bear than you and he cannot handle together.”  But, boy, at the time of the crisis it can seem like there’s absolutely no hope.
            We become so frightened that we cannot see the possibilities that are still open to us.  It often takes someone else to bring that hope, courage and peace back into our lives. Some of us are those bearers of hope.  We all have that potential.
            There is so much potential among us all.  We all have God-given gifts to use in this world.  We may not be able to change water into wine, but each of us has been blessed with the presence of the Holy Spirit since our baptism.  Our gifts may be different but we serve the same Lord.  When we work together, like this congregation has a reputation for doing, we can accomplish so much as God’s hands in this world.
            What is it we can do?  You may find your gift among these suggestions.  You can:
     be a mentor to a confirmation student
     be a Sunday School teacher or aide
     chaperone a youth group activity once a quarter
     sing in the choir
     financially support our ministry together
     come to coffee hour & listen to someone’s joys or sorrows
     drive a homebound person to doctor’s appointments
     pick up groceries or prescriptions for someone who’s ill
     participate in Bible Study 
     become a Stephen Minister
     pray and donate for Haiti’s earthquake victims
     serve on Church Council, Dorcas, or Altar Guild
     get together with others in the Christian Fellowship Club
     work at the Food Pantry at Light on the Hill
     bring in usable clothing for the Rescue Mission
     send a card to a homebound or hospitalized member
     make a phone call, just because
     pray
     pray
     pray.
 
            Each of us is water that Jesus changes to wine.  We are ordinary human beings, redeemed through Jesus’ blood, strengthened and blessed, and commissioned for service in his name.  
            Whether you are the sufferer or the consoler, you are still within God’s embrace.  You have hope.  You have courage.  You have joy.  You have bountiful blessings to share.  Hardship, crisis or challenge, there is nothing you cannot conquer through our Lord Jesus Christ.
            Do you need someone, like Mary, to nudge you into action?  Consider it done today.  Your time has come.  The opportunities are everywhere.  Find your joy in serving the Lord today and tomorrow and every day.
            You are Jesus’ fine wine to gladden the hearts of others, here and around the world.  Amen    
 
Rev. Linda J. Kraft
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Trumbull  CT   06611
office p/f 203-372-8844
home 203-881-5997
 

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