2) THE WEDDING FEAST AT CANA

What were the weddings you remember?

And Jesus was invited with his disciples to a wedding feast in the city of Cana, in Galilee. And the mother of Jesus was there.

Weddings are moments of new life. Weddings challenge the couple getting married to make great vows to each other – and to keep them till death do they part.

Weddings also trigger a cascade of marriage thoughts and memories in the minds and hearts and tears of those attending the wedding.

Wedding invitations get us to look at our calendars and our schedules. The couple who sent us an invitation hope we will say, “Yes we’ll be there.”

Weddings are moments of music and dance, prayers and hopes, food and drink, toasts and blessings.

Weddings bring about not only the marriage of a man and a woman, but also the marriage of families and traditions, stories and dreams.

And Jesus went to a wedding at Cana. His disciples went with him – as well as his mother. It must have been some celebration because they ran out of wine. Mary, a Jewish mother, stepped in and did what she did best. She asked her son, Jesus, to help. He said, “It wasn’t his time, yet.” Mary, knowing her son, said to the waiters, “Do whatever he tells you.” And Jesus did something. He gave this couple and every married couple – the possibility of the never ending wine of love – a never ending celebration of life – a never ending marriage of helping one another.

The Gospel of John tells us, “This was the first of the signs given by Jesus. It happened at Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be seen and his disciples believed in him” (John 2:11)

A wedding is only a beginning. Hopefully, for the Christian, if it begins with Jesus, hopefully it will continue with Jesus. If it does the couple will see many more signs of life.
In time, the ordinary will become extraordinary. Couples see this with the birth of a child, especially the first child, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, and family celebrations.

In time, water can become bread and wine. The rain, the sun, the earth, bring forth grapes on the vine and wheat in our fields. They come to our table as bread and wine – and then they become us – the body and blood of each other around the table.

All is connected. All is covenant. All is Eucharist. All is the great wedding banquet of life – that started at Cana – that started at creation – that continues with the daily mass of life.

Jesus is waiting to be invited into the marriage of your life.