We’ve had feast days each weekend since Christmas but this weekend we are simply in what the Church designates as “Ordinary Time.” We’re coming off the birth of Jesus and the Gospels beginning His story of God becoming incarnate (taking on flesh)—so where do we go from there? Answer: his public life and, in John’s case, the first miracle of his public life: the wedding feast at Cana (at which Jesus changes water into wine) at the request of his mother.
A curious element of John’s Gospel is that he never mentions Mary’s name—while the other Gospels DO. And yet, a powerful scene within his Gospel is at the crucifixion when Jesus tells John “Behold your mother” and tells her “Behold your son” (John). Theologically, this touching scene has been understood to mean that John represents humanity and that in keeping with the theme of the Gospels that we are “brothers and sisters in Christ,” Jesus is reminding us one last time the heart of his “Catholic” (meaning “universal”) message. Namely, he is the son of God and our brother—with Mary as our symbolic or adoptive mother. The human race is NOT a bunch of unrelated tribes, nations, and ethnic groups—but one people—God’s children.
And yet, for John, she remains un-named in his Gospel. Oddly enough, Islam’s sacred book, the Qu’ran, has an entire chapter devoted to Mary, and is named “Mary.” She is the only woman mentioned by name in that holy book, and that name appears more times than it does in all the Gospels combined. But in our non-Gospel way, many Christians think of Muslims as heathens when they are our cousins in the faith (along with our Jewish brothers and sisters). Why do people who claim to be Christian get on the anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim bandwagon? All 3 faith communities are within the Abrahamic faith tradition!!
Scholars have long wondered why the Cana story is not found in the other 3 Gospels. The great St. Thomas Aquinas thought the wedding might have been John’s! And so, he reported the event. However, later scholars hold that the apostle John was probably NOT the writer of this Gospel. And why does the Gospel begin with a wedding that had water changed to wine.
Well, maybe the following was at play. Namely, audiences were already familiar with the major event in Israelite history known as the 10 plagues visiting Egypt. ONE of those plagues was the Nile River water changing into blood. Voila! That story’s water being changed to blood foreshadowed the Christian eucharist. Jesus said to regard the wine they drank as his “blood” and thus be his continued presence when the community “broke bread” at the “table of the Lord” (altar).
Some Christian fundamentalist groups will say that Jesus changed the water into grape JUICE and not wine—thus not having his disciples consume an alcoholic beverage. Some preachers will say that the Koine Greek word did not mean “wine” but “juice.” However, when one holds to believing a falsehood, or a lie, there is nothing you can say to change their mind. Reputable scholars who are well-versed in ancient near-east biblical languages—all say that the word John used meant “wine” and NOT “grape juice.” Tell that to some fundamentalists and they will not accept the truth.
This same pattern of denial exists within what some call the Trump cult. 60 courts ruled AGAINST each allegation that Trump’s people raised (when saying the 2020 election was fixed). Many of those courts were overseen by Trump-appointed judges. Some of his aides and family members told him that he lost (which he admitted in rare interviews). He had even made plans long in advance of the election to protest if he DID lose. But he still pushed what became known as “the big lie” saying that he actually won. And now, some who are being appointed to his cabinet are being rewarded for still pushing “the big lie.” He know they will support whatever he says—be it truthful or not. His nominee for Attorney General is one such person—doing what his former Attorney General would not do (lie). He fired Mr. Barr for holding to the truth.
Meanwhile, fundamentalists have the same mindset as Trump cultists. They are presented with facts but reject them. In biblical studies, this topic uses the following terms. When one translates a text accurately and objectively—without bringing their prejudices or personal opinions to the topic, one is referred to as a biblical “exegete.” They are not influenced by thinking that is unrelated to the text’s original meaning within the original context. By contrast, one who translates a text and who injects their bias is not doing an “exegesis” of the text, but an “eisegesis” (a “reading INTO the text” something that isn’t there. E.g., I’m opposed to drinking alcohol, so I will make sure there is nothing in scripture that has heroes (especially Jesus) drinking alcohol.
When there is a different opinion based on facts that are 50-50, reasonable people say the topic is a call that’s “to tough to make.” However, when the evidence is 99% in one direction—and people cling to the 1%–there’s no changing the minds of the 1%. In Mr. Trump’s case, he won votes for selling the “big lie” and bible scholars lost a segment of “Christians” to fundamentalism when saying Jesus drank wine.
Even Bishop Papias—a first-century Christian leader—knew people who knew Jesus, and he reported that Jesus said the finest wine would be in heaven. Tell that to a fundamentalist, and they will tell you (with zero evidence or knowledge) that Bishop Papias was wrong.
Since so much has been made of this political topic over the past few years, it seemed a timely example to use—especially since a result of this purely political strategy was this week’s presidential inauguration. Enough voters were persuaded that 2020 was a “stolen” election—to illustrate that the lie “worked.” This political topic isn’t made to replay the past election. Rather—whatever the topic–each of us always needs to re-evaluate the “water” of our thinking—and ask God to refine it to produce wisdom in all matters we address. Such is the story of Cana—Jesus changing the sterile water of our everyday thought into a symbolic wine of high quality.
If the above points are too provocative or uninteresting, points that all of us can learn from the Cana story are these: 1) Ask Jesus for help (as Mary did); 2) Be specific in your prayer when asking what needs change—water to wine; 3) do what he asks (as the waiter did); 4) realize that your life-efforts are intended to help others and make life better for them (as our political leanings must be our effort to serve the many and not the few).
With Martin Luther King Day being this week, here is a prayer formulated by a clergyman who inspired him:
Open unto us/me, light for our/my darkness
Open unto me, courage for my fear Open unto me, hope for my despair
Open unto me, peace for my turmoil
Open unto me, joy for my sorrow
Open unto me, strength for my weakness
Open unto me, wisdom for my confusion
Open unto me, forgiveness for my sins
Open unto me, tenderness for my toughness Open unto me, love for my hates
Open unto me, Thy Self for myself Lord, Lord, open unto me!
Today’s 2nd reading from Corinthians noted that we each have our special contribution to make. The following lyrics are from a spiritual that Martin Luther King liked to quote:
If you can’t be a pine on the top of the hill, be a scrub in the valley.
But be the best little scrub on the side of the rill.
Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail.
If you can’t be the sun, be a star.
For it isn’t by size that you win or you fail, be the best of whatever you are.
Last week, we had the baptism of a beautiful little girl. As I’ve mentioned many times, when we see such a darling innocent, and feel all sorts of affection for this gift from heaven, we get some sense that God has the same sort of affection for each of us. Even though we might be mature and respected members of some community, we are needy infants in God’s eyes.
I make the above point so often that I seek new theological “material” to offer for reflection on the topic of God’s love for each of us. Today’s first reading provided it. This is what the first reading said: “God’s delight in us is like a bridegroom rejoicing in his bride. Just so does your God rejoice in you.”
Try and recall how you felt when falling in love with a special someone. That flurry of emotion and thought that you had back then—is what God feels for you.
On the day we inaugurate a felon as president, we also honor a King—M. L. King. Unlike the felon’s message, the King spoke wisdom in stories such as this one.
A little girl who wandered away from home, and could not be found when people went to search. Community leaders said that everyone should gather in the field, hold hands, and walk together over the brush and meadows to search for the child. Finally, they found the little girl—dead. And that night, the mother wept quietly saying over and over again: “If only we had held hands yesterday.”
Such was the point of Martin Luther King’s preaching and teaching. It was also the preaching and teaching of Jesus. And should be what each of us holds as our own.