The Wedding at Cana is a peak parent-teenager/young adult moment. Mary is proud of her gifted child. She sizes up that the wedding party made a colossal mistake by not ordering enough wine. She knows Jesus can fix this and seems to demand he do something. And we hear the classic response of teen angst, “Mom, stop! Don’t be so cringe.” And this is how we know that parent-child relationships have been like this since the ancient world until now. We have evidence in the Bible.
This is an exchange that humanizes Jesus. We have either observed or been part of conversations like this. We know about family dynamics at weddings and how tricky they can be to navigate. Also leaning on the gifted child to solve a crisis that’s not really his problem. But it makes it easier for us empathize with Mary and Jesus knowing they are human, that we can relate to them. And that they navigate some of the same social situations that we do.
We also get to meet the caterer. He is incredulous that suddenly this good wine is pulled out of the back room, being wasted on guests who are already drunk. On the one hand, what a wasteful first miracle, turning water into wine. It’s not a healing miracle. Not giving people food or rescuing them from war. On the other hand, what a generous miracle, divine intervention that brings joy. We’ve all experienced a gathering that hasn’t gone according to plan. What a loving way for Jesus to reveal that he is the source of overflowing joy, rest, and celebration.
Not to mention the glaring message that Jesus gives himself to us in the bread and the wine. Jesus is the fountain of resurrection life that opens possibilities when we think all possibilities are closed. Truly we need today to receive the gift of overflowing wine. Typically in Canada we like to think of ourselves as one step removed from many of the crises in the world. We like to think we are insulated to global crises. We know that has never been fully true as we think about increasing wildfires and human crises in our own neighbourhoods. But in recent memory we haven’t needed to wonder whether the US might threaten our economy in chaotic and unpredictable ways. A time when we’re not sure who to trust or how leaders will act. There is a danger in moments like this that we become further divided as a people. This is a time when groups of people become more paranoid and suspicious of one another. Strong men leaders exploit these kinds of divide and conquer moments. As Christians we have a different wellspring to tap into. We are invited to the Wedding at Canada. We are invited into overflowing grace and new life. It is at this banquet table on Sunday morning that we are sustained to withstand the forces that seek to divide us and cause confusion. Let us lead into the grace Jesus offers, a wellspring of life we can draw upon.
A story about overflowing grace. Last week the youth group met at a board game cafe downtown for a gathering. Three of the kids were having birthdays that week so I wanted to offer a treat for them to share. The most celebratory thing on the menu were fresh baked cookies so I planned on getting eight cookies, one cookie per person. The person at the order counter looked at me in disbelief. “You want how many cookies? Do you know how big these cookies are?” I had no idea. She showed me the cookies are the same diameter as a medium-sized plate. Plus they only had three cookies available in the next half hour because they’re more a made-to-order item. So I bought the three cookies which were enough. Eli put birthday candles on each cookie so each of the three kids could blow out their birthday cookie and then share with the others. A different kind of breaking bread. More a breaking monster cookie with each other, being church out in the world.
As I was sitting in the cafe writing, I ran into a Palestinian family who I’ve worked with in the past. People who have put themselves in harm’s way advocating for peace. Unfortunately some of their family members, including young girls, were doxxed and so they needed to take a break from some of their advocacy. Another reason to build relationships in the community, including multi-faith relationships so that people don’t feel alone. It’s easy to feel alone and isolated. This family and many others marched for peace every Saturday from the legislature, through downtown, for nearly a year. They encountered a lot of resistance. I joined them a couple times and while mainly people either watched quietly and some cheered, there were also angry jeers and name calling. I hope and pray the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel remains.
I am also reminded of friends in Virginia who are organizing the annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Lexington. It’s a tradition that Florentien and I helped begin. It came with a lot of threats to us and our family which contributed to us moving here eventually. Nevertheless I think about the overflowing joy that came with marching in the 9th Annual MLK Community Parade. It has become an annual tradition. Hundreds of people gathering together to take back streets and public spaces in a spirit of overflowing grace and love.
I think about how Christian leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. gave us so much of themselves. As followers of Jesus they emptied themselves in order to make the world a better place. And it has always been an uphill battle. Today Dr. King is remembered fondly, but at his heyday before he was killed, he was one of the most hated Americans. A majority of white Americans thought ill of Dr. King and those who marched alongside him.
One thing student leaders who worked alongside Dr. King emphasized was finding moments to join the divine banquet. Spend time where grace overflows. Spend time alone to receive divine grace in prayer and meditation. It is these moments and relationships where Christ builds us up whether we are striving for collective justice and also for individual resilience. That is true today that in the face of uncertainty we need to stick together. We need to find moments of hope. We need to receive the grace Jesus is granting us.
I also think about people who are sick and feeling lonely and isolated. Quickly people feel not only physically fragile, but emotionally and mentally fragile, isolated from community. This is one reason we visit the sick, bring communion to those who are homebound, and check in with people who are going through tumult in their personal lives. That said if you are going through a hard time and haven’t been visited by someone at the church please reach out to me or the church office and let us know. Allyson, the visiting team, and I try to keep tabs of who needs visiting. If we don’t hear from people we don’t always know that a visit is needed or welcomed. That’s also part of a time of transition as we build up different relationships. And this too is the overflowing love of Christ, the bread and wine flowing into the streets and feeding those who are hungry. People who can’t necessarily join us in person around the table. So we extend the table and let the love out into the community.
Wrapping up, whatever cringy exchanges you may have had as a teenager or if you are someone who is raising or has raised a teenager, know the love of God is big enough to bridge communication gaps. God sees it worthy for miracles to be performed at wedding feasts. For the party to continue and feast enjoyed well into the night. And know that you have a seat at the divine wedding feasts as well. Amen.
