The Gospel of John offers each reader with choices. One can take the easiest, the most obvious paths through it, perhaps the one that will not require much from you, not ask for a change in heart or life. For example, a Pharisee, Nicodemus, meets Jesus and has the choice to be born “anothen.” He can understand the choice as being born again or being born from above.  Nicodemus never grasps the higher choice: to be born from above – perhaps it is too risky for him. Life doesn’t change for Nicodemus (at least not yet). The Samaritan woman Jesus meets at the well has a choice between flowing waters or living waters – she asks about the living waters and enters into a new life, immediately returning to her town and proclaiming the good news of the gospel. Her life has changed. This is a recurring theme in John’s Gospel. What about Cana?

When Holy Land tours reach Cana there is generally an opportunity for the married couples to receive a blessing. It is a wonderful and touching moment. The tours don’t linger there because there is a busy schedule of visiting other sacred sites. I remember the first time I was in Cana and as we moved off to the next stop, I remember thinking “the story of Cana has more to offer.” I wondered “whose life has changed?” Mary or the Apostles? You could certainly make that argument. There is certainly a stronger case that Cana is the “life changer” for Jesus. This we already know: Jesus was truly born from above and came to dwell among us. He has been anointed in the Spirit on the banks of the Jordan River. Perhaps now the question is will he unleash the living waters into the world? Has that hour arrived? Jesus is clear: “My hour has not yet come.”

“The hour” – an expression in John that points to the Cross, the ultimate and great sign of our redemption. True, that hour has not yet come, but I think Mary, in her gift of wisdom, understands the deeper story that is unfolding. Think about it this way: over the timeline of meeting, dating, becoming engaged, the wedding, building a common life, starting a family, and all that fall between and is yet to come – what is “the hour?” Some things play out over the course of time and all are part of “the hour.” I think Mary understands that and actually kind of ignores Jesus’ response, turns to the servants and says: “Do whatever he tells you.” She understands that “the hour” has already begun and the clock is ticking.

In the Cana story there are six water containers – all empty.  They are not containers for drinking water, they are set aside for the Jewish rituals of purification, being made ritually pure, able to enter the wedding feast.  Jesus orders them filled and then changes the water to wine.  The best of wines, in abundance, about 150 gallons.  Wine in superabundance – the OT sign of the kingdom of God, the great banquet of God.  The great in-gathering when all the faithful will be made clean – not with the ritual waters of Jewish custom but with… with… well, the OT never says.  

Here at Cana the water becomes wine – a sign of the coming kingdom, a sign giving us a glimpse of the Eucharistic wine at the Last Supper – but even more importantly pointing to when the wine of the last supper will become the blood of the cross. When the OT water rituals are replaced with Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross, when we are washed clean in the blood of the Lamb, and redemption is complete.

I think Mary’s gift to her Son is this: “This is when the hour begins. When is it complete? You will know. The choice you make now is part of the choice you will make all along the way, right up to the hour’s end.” Jesus chooses and the living waters of the Gospel begin to flow into the world with the first sign of God’s power now in the world.. At the end Jesus will choose that the will of the Father be done – and redemption will be complete. 

At this point in the story, how could anyone know all of this? They couldn’t. It is only in the larger narrative of the entire Gospel of John that the simple sign of water changing to wine is fully revealed and made known.  But we are in the here and now, and knowing what we know – we know the story. We are called to choose. To choose how we are to be in the world – born again, or born from above.  Seeking flowing waters or living waters.  Seeing the simple miracle or seeing the fuller glory of the Lord. And in the fullness of the Glory of God to know that we are gifted to be in this time and place to show the glory and preeminence of God. We are baptized in the sanctifying waters of Baptism. We are anointed and gifted by the Holy Spirit: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.” (1 Cor 12:4)

In the story at Cana, Mary, the woman filled with grace, uses the Spirit-given gift of Wisdom. Whose life was changed? Jesus, the Son of God, anointed in the Spirit, unleashing the beginning of the hour when all will be redeemed? Whose life was changed? Everyone who believes into the Son of God.

The story of Cana gives one context to this life. You meet the love of your life; the hour begins. How will the story unfold? You bring your gifts to the marriage. You include the wisdom of God so that your marriage and life are fonts of living water nourishing those around you. The hour ends as you enter the bright glory of God in everlasting life. 

You come to St. Francis in Triangle.You whose hour began in the waters and anointing of Baptism. We are one chapter in your unfolding story. Our story joins with yours; our gifts join with yours. Bring your gifts to the life and ministry of this parish, in this time and place. Whose life will be changed? We can’t begin to imagine all the souls that will be touched. Choose the life from above. Choose the living waters. The hour is already upon us…and we know the ending – the eternal wedding feast of heaven.

Image credit: The Marriage Feast at Cana | Bartolomé Estebán Murillo, 1672 | The Barber Institute of Fine Art | PD-US | Photograph by DeFacto – Wiki Commons | CC-SA-4.0