Remember What's Most Important

Epiphany 2

Fr. Tim Nunez

 As we come into this scene of the wedding at Cana, we try to envision it.  It’s first century Palestine, so everyone is in robes, tunics and sandals. Suddenly the scene shifts. I can’t help seeing the groom and his groomsmen in patent leather shoes, bright, shiny, patent leather shoes.

Why do people often wear patent leather shoes to a wedding? And how are they called leather? They are plastic. Why the special dresses, the flowers, the centerpieces at the reception, the band or DJ? Clearly a wedding is a big, big deal, whether people have rented tuxedos and patent leather shoes or no one has rented a tux because they own them or because they preferred jeans. Their new life together calls for a party; there is lots to celebrate with family and friends.

The problem is that the reception and all the arrangements can overwhelm the actual ceremony. Wedding stress is a significant issue, more for some than others, and it always has to do with the guest list, the caterer, the photographer. I get asked how long the service will be because, well, they’d like people to head over to the reception at 6:17. It never has to do with the looming realization that she’s committing to live with that guy for the rest of her life.

Yet the vows are, after all, the most important part of a wedding ceremony. But the vows point to something much deeper: the commitment to love each other that is made before God and their families and friends. It’s the union. It’s the relationship. That’s the marriage.

Imagine for a moment if the bride and groom had, just the two of them, secretly plotted the whole event as a scam and really didn’t care much about each other and they were only doing it because they wanted a big party and had agreed to split the gifts 50/50. That would be awful, unimaginable, a travesty.

The internal, inside shared commitment of the couple is not only most important, it’s really the critical aspect of a wedding, despite whatever the time, attention and money that goes into all the external, outside activity around it. Even if there’s a huge reception or they marry at Disney so the bride can have her princess moment. Even if the groomsmen have written “Help Me” on the soles of the groom’s shoes.

And it’s with that focus on the actual marriage that we come to this wedding in Cana. We don’t know anything about the bride and groom or their families or the other guests. We do know that Cana is about two hours’ walk from Nazareth and was Nathanael’s hometown. We know that Mary was invited along with her son Jesus and his small group of disciples (John has mentioned five at this point.) And we know they ran out of wine. That’s a problem, no one would want to run out of food or drink at their reception, but that’s an external, outside problem that Jesus will resolve in a way that points to the inside, the internal importance of his arrival.

The six big jars of water were for ritual washing, a rite of purification that everyone would do before eating. Practically speaking, even back then, centuries before people knew anything about germs, bacteria or viruses, they knew that washing their hands was healthy. But it only dealt with issues on the surface. 

By changing the old water into new wine, Jesus demonstrated that the washing, while important as a hygienic external cleansing and good in its own way, pales when compared to what he offers: rich wine, the best wine, that doesn’t go on the surface but to be taken in. One of the issues he will address repeatedly are the ways the Law of Moses had become a series of external exercises of obedience for people including leaders and common folks and lost the heart of the Covenant.

And we should recognize that we are always at risk of this, be it a wedding or Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas morning or an Easter egg hunt.

This scene also correlates with Jesus’ larger mission and his ongoing life in, with and through the Church, all the way to his crucifixion and Resurrection. Recall that John’s account of the Last Supper begins with a ritual washing when Jesus washed their feet, then they shared the cup. Here, Jesus says his hour has not yet come. He will say that several more times, until he says his time has come. (John 17:1)

The wine is not immediately served to everyone, but first goes to the steward who becomes the first witness, and an expert witness at that, proclaiming it as the best wine. After the Resurrection, Jesus doesn’t appear to everyone, but to a select few at first and then more than 500 persons who then become his expert witnesses, a witness that carries on to us. In part that comes through our collective re-telling of the story, in part it comes through our joining him in partaking of that new wine, in part it comes through the ongoing transformation his “new wine” is working within us.

Paul notes that “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” Often that involves the Holy Spirit guiding us to put our talents to their highest and best purpose for the common good. Often we find that the Holy Spirit bestows or at least awakens abilities we didn’t know or even dream we could have. That is a matter for prayer and contemplation, perhaps in consultation with a friend in Christ.

And, of course, marriage is the prime metaphor for the relationship Jesus has with his Church. He is the groom and we are the bride. This is a relationship of ultimate love and faithfulness, of ultimate union of body mind and spirit together. I’d like to bring this home with an exercise that will hopefully help us re-center on what is most important. Last week we reaffirmed our Baptismal Covenant. This week, I’d like us to renew our marriage vows with Jesus.

Please repeat after me, except for the part where I say “State your name,” please state your name and don’t say “state your name.” Usually at wedding rehearsals the couple will look at me at this point and I remind them to look at each other. So I’ll ask you to close your eyes and focus on Jesus. Look full on his wonderful face.

In the Name of God, I (state your name), take you Jesus, to be my Lord, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forever and ever. This is my solemn vow.

Those who God has joined together let no one put asunder.

And all God’s people said…

AMEN!