On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”4 “Woman,[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.[b]7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. John 2
I am not sure that I have a sermon for you today as much as I have ramblings of places the Spirit has taken my soul recently. I can only pray that as I ramble, you too might find the Spirit touching you in some way.
Each year I like to pick a word for the year. It is a word that I use in my time of centering prayer as well as something I look for in daily life, readings, and interactions with others. This year the word grace has become my guiding word. I find it in the smallest of things. My cup of coffee in the morning is filled with grace. The sun coming in the widow shines with grace. And of course each and every hug embraces me with grace. I could go on and on and on like this. But instead I ask, where do you find grace in your daily life?
Grace seems to speak to me this year because of all the things I see going on around me. My heart is broken over so many of these things. And passion rises up in fury. But the Spirit whispers grace. Grace for others and grace for myself. Grace to acknowledge the hurt and the fears and to embrace them in myself and in others.
I have started reading a passage of Luke in the morning. I believe it was Tuesday morning that I read the story of the huge catch of fish. Perhaps you remember it. Jesus is preaching from Peter’s boat and when he finishes he tells Peter and the others to go out into the deep and cast out their nets. Despite being weary from fishing all night and catching nothing, Peter does as Jesus tells him. The haul of fish is so immense he calls for all the other boats to come out and help bring in the jackpot!
It’s a wonderful story.
Later that day I checked in with Pastor Bob. While he is getting better it is a process. So we all thought that taking one more Sunday for rest would be wise.
So in preparation I went to the lectionary wondering if I would get to preach on the great fishing miracle. Instead I found our reading from John. The wedding at Cana and the gallons and gallons of the finest wine.
As is my habit, I read the passage and prayed quietly waiting to hear what the Spirit might have for me and perhaps for a sermon. And one word came to me in capital letters and exclamation points. ABUNDANCE!
My very human mind began grappling with the concept of abundance. Abundance of what? And of course I began thinking of things, stuff, sustenance for the body etc. And the Holy Spirit simply said “really?” And while it is true if we could learn to share the blessings of creation with all people there is more than enough for everyone, that wasn’t where the Spirit was going.
And when I picked up my cup of coffee I understood. Grace. An abundance of grace. My spirit felt as if it had been wrapped in a warm blanket as the Spirit answered “yes.” Grace.
So what is grace? What is the difference between grace and mercy? Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar and not being sent to your room. And grace is getting what we don’t deserve. Peace, love, and a fresh cup of morning coffee. Both grace and mercy are poured out in love. Both are in abundance in God’s Kingdom. But grace is about those everyday blessings, gifts, favors that are so easily missed.
Where can we find grace in the wedding story?
Mary’s heart sees a need and cared that the wedding hosts would be publicly embarrassed by the lack of wine. She finds the grace, love within her own heart, to turn to Jesus for help. She could simply shrug her shoulders and think how sad it all was and do nothing.
Jesus for some reason does not want to do as she asks, and there have been lots of sermons preached on that, but instead he finds the grace within to say yes and helps. He could have left it alone simply saying “not my time, not my problem.”
The servants find enough grace to have the courage to take a ladle to the wine stewart not knowing for certain what they are carrying or how they or the liquid in the ladle will be received. Grace overcomes doubt and fear.
And because each of these individuals not only found grace within themselves but also said yes to giving grace to another, they too received the blessing of knowing the glory of God in their simple service. And there was an abundance! An abundance of grace. An abundance of all that was needed.
Grace when given away returns to the giver. I like to think that when I recognize the grace in my cup of coffee, the sunshine, the hug and I thank God for it, God is also blessed.
There is an abundance of grace to go around. To share. To give away. We can be renewed each day by that grace if we take the moment to recognize and receive it. And share it.
Abundance. God’s kingdom is about abundance. God’s kingdom is about grace. Grace for ourselves and grace to give away to others. Grace comes in many forms. It can be in coffee, wine, a hug. It can be in acceptance. In listening without judgement. In empathy.
So these are simply the ponderings of my spirit so far this year. I don’t know if they make sense to anyone else. I can only pray that somewhere in them is a blessing for you to receive.
I would like to end with a reading from Ephesians. After which I ask for a moment of silence that we might each sense the Spirit’s grace.
Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
BTW…the word translated as saved, actually means to be made whole.
Amen (silence)
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