Transforming Love
Sunday 29th January 2023 (Year A) / St Mary Magdalene’s, Outwood (Eucharist)
1 Kings 17:8-16 / 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 / John 2:1-11
“Do whatever He tells you”.
Even though listening to the Gospels is at the core of Christian discipleship, let’s make sure we hear this again:
“Do whatever He tells you”.
The words of Mary the Mother of Jesus, spoken about her son, in the belief that He could do something to avoid disaster!
He should act to prevent the embarrassment and shame of a Wedding host who has not purchased enough wine!
Picture the scene for a moment – a warm, sunny day in a small town in Galilee – everyone invited to the wedding, including those from neighbouring villages…. all enjoying the moment… anticipating more wine to come! Hurrah!
And then…. NO WINE! Boooo!
Maybe the Steward – a realist or a cynic – could see how it might play out…. And panicked…
Maybe Mary had her finger on the social pulse of the village….
The potential for disaster was huge!
The social disgrace would rest on the family, and the newly-weds, for years to come.
Mary spoke:
Jesus, help them out….!
How does He respond?
“My hour has not yet come”.
“What has that go to do with me…?”
John’s Gospel is not short on mystery and puzzles, in an often cryptic narrative.
And yet…
John is telling us about the nature of God, in the person of Jesus – the Word made flesh.
Of how Jesus was looking at His mission from a different perspective….until that moment, maybe?
And what are we told about the nature of God?
Well, what do you think?
Christians are often judged on what they believe:
Whether or not they take every single word of scripture as fact;
Or whether or not the Miracles of Jesus are as written or a metaphor.
Personally, I don’t need to convince anyone about how “real” His miracles were or were not….. do you?
I also do not need to be an apologist – explaining away the unexplainable as unscientific, or some hidden meaning that you only get by being a believer…
Why would we want to “explain” God?
We might hope to help others see God – present in creation and in one another….
That is mystery enough!
We don’t need signs and wonders to prove anything in which we have faith, do we?
We are Disciples of Jesus Christ, seeking a union with God – being always ready for God to be active in our lives.
If I say – in God all things are possible – I don’t mean, well only if it can be explained!
God invites us closer – on our journeys of faith.
Filled with possibility – including our frailties and doubts and fears, yes…. But mainly God’s love.
And that is the only sign we need….
Paul was trying to explain this, in his own way, to the early church in Corinth:
“For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” (25)
“… God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;” (27)
In short, if the prevailing wind of thought and attitude is that strength is better, that signs are needed and that God needs explaining….
Then the Jesus who challenges purity rituals, who pushes against the powerful, and ultimately dies on a cross – He is not going to be popular.
God IS. God tells us so.
Then. Now. Tomorrow.
God shows us a bountiful blessing in each and every breath that we take.
God transforms us… the world around us….
And not always as we expect or in ways that we like or approve of.
And that is what we see in the Gospels: transformation – always.
Some years ago, my wife and I were privileged to be part of a Diocesan pilgrimage to the Holy Land, led by Bishop Tony.
As you can imagine, Cana was on the itinerary and, on a warm, sunny morning, we shared in the Eucharist.
Afterwards, Marlene and I renewed our marriage vows – it seemed like a good thing to do, and it was lovely.
And yes, we saw replicas of the type of storage jars mentioned, and yes, they really were very large.
Transformation. Always!
From water into wine… a lot of wine!
From the notion of ritualised cleansing and purification… which Jesus often held up for scrutiny;
To living in the moment of joy, with God!
And not just any old wine!
As the steward was happy to point out – the best was saved to last…. All of it… such a gracious bounty!
We began with what seemed like a command:
“Do whatever He tells you”.
Yet, isn’t it a question for us?
Do we? Will we – do whatever He tells us to do?
Or do we find ourselves overwhelmed with the weight of what we think God wants of us;
Those constraints that we place upon ourselves as humans, and even as Christians?
Is our hope inside the cold stone jars, set aside, for ritual purification and personal chastisement?
No it is not.
Our hope, our life, our warmth and our joy – is in Jesus Christ who transforms us – despite our best efforts not to be!
We too can be transformed into a people of celebration.
It’s what we are called to be.
It’s what we are called to show to others.
Let your light and love, joyfully bestowed upon you by a gracious God, transform the world around you.
Choose life.
God be praised.
Amen.
Image: SB/MB in Cana, 2008