Fr Mark Schultz

Dear Friend,

I’m grateful for our Office Gospel today from John, the story of the wedding at Cana, Jesus’ first public miracle. The Epiphany highlights three events: the Adoration of the Magi, the Baptism of Jesus, and the Wedding at Cana as all signs of the revelation of Jesus Christ as savior of all humanity—as an old antiphon on the Song of Zechariah has it: “On this day is the Church espoused to her heavenly Bridegroom, forasmuch as in Jordan Christ hath cleansed her iniquities, therefore do the Wise Men hasten with their offerings to the royal nuptials where the guests are regaled with water made wine, alleluia!”

And yes, I’m grateful for our Office Gospel for giving us a chance to celebrate the redemptive union of heaven and earth in Jesus Christ. But I’m also grateful for a reminder of something that’s easy to forget in these worrying days that can often leave us feeling stunned or helpless—and that something is easy to miss even in the story.

I’m grateful for the un-named person who, after hearing Our Lady’s instructions to do whatever Jesus says, does exactly that. And carrying a ladleful of…is it wine yet?...is it still water?...carrying a ladleful of mystery, risking ridicule if not outright shame and dishonor, has faith enough to bear it to the steward as if it were not water, but something else, something wonderful.

Many folks comment on the part of Our Lady in this miracle, and of course folks comment on Our Lord as the miracle-worker, but few (that I know of) think about the un-named servants who themselves were part of the miracle, whose faith was part of the miracle. Jesus, I think, allows the servants to participate in the marvelousness he’s doing because he wants them to know the joy of participation in the marvelousness, yes, and because I think he’s showing us all that miracles have a communal dimension to them. They’re a sharing in the mystery, by faith, which winds up transforming a community.

Now, very often, it seems like folks fall into a belief that miracles are a thing of the past. But let me be clear: I don’t think they are. Not by a long shot! Because I believe very strongly: if we, who are not the great, not the powerful, not the famous, not the renowned…if we, un-named servants as we may be, were to do whatever Jesus tells us; if we were to love as he loves; if we were to love deeply in ways big and small; if we were to do the little work of love that, by grace, is set before us to do…something so small, perhaps, as bearing a ladleful of compassion, water, love’s deep abiding mystery, to someone in need…we would find ourselves participating in a great miracle of joy that; we would find ourselves, our communities, our world, transformed by love.

I’m grateful for this reminder today!

Under the Mercy,
Fr Mark+