Today’s Reading: John 2:1-11 RSV
“Jesus said to the servants ‘Fill the jars with water’. . . .
“Now draw some out and take it to the person in charge of the banquet.”
When the person in charge tasted the water, it had become wine.
This story in the gospel of John is reported by him to be the first miracle performed by Jesus at the onset of his ministry. What is often overlooked is the nature of this “miracle”. What Jesus did was to create something out of nothing. Water as a beverage at a wedding has no meaning. Wine, on the other hand plays an important and meaningful part of the celebration. And it is that ability to create something meaningful from that which isn’t meaningful that I think is the lesson we can learn from this story.
Most of us are aware of the mother who founded “Mothers Against Drunk Driving”. She lost her son in an automobile accident in which the other driver was intoxicated. The death of her son was a random meaningless event. But she transformed an arbitrary event into something of great meaning as she created a movement to prevent others from having to face similar incidents in their lives. Like Jesus’ actions, the lesson is clear that we have the power to create meaning in our lives.
Many Christians talk about wanting to discover the meaning of their lives, wondering forever when they “will discover” it. But as this story reveals, the meaning of our lives is not something to be “discovered”. Rather it is something we are to create out of who we are and the experiences we have. God has given us many gifts and one of the greatest is the ability to create a meaningful life. I believe that is the challenge placed before us through this story.
Reflections 