There was a lull in the early afternoon on the day of the wedding my girls were in. I had already brought the stand to the reception hall, in order to display the quilt. Forty people, including men, had been part of the effort to create a gift for the couple, and this was their first time to see it in its glory. 

 

With the girls at the church along with the wedding party, I felt unsure how to pass the time. I decided to rewatch the Chosen episode about the miracle in Cana. 

 

If you are not familiar, Jesus was a guest with his disciples for a celebration. But there was a stir when the servants realized that there was no wine left. Mary, his mother, asked Jesus to help. 

 

I know the story well, and have concocted ways for John to perform it on chancel using food coloring in the bottom of the pitcher, and for children to recreate it as a project with purple cellophane that slides across the tops of construction paper jars. The details are specific. Six stone pots used for purification, were to be filled to the brim. But what the movie added for me was the sense of uncertainty. Knowing how the story ends, I had forgotten. 

 

What would happen if this lack in hospitality was discovered? Why did this man ask them to fill jars with a drink that would not satisfy the guests? What would be the reaction, once they tasted it? The text suggests that the bride and groom were unaware of the confusion. It was solved without their knowing. 

 

This is described as the first miracle that Jesus performed. It began His ministry, as a wedding begins a marriage. There is uncertainty in those relationships too, even stirred in with unwavering love. Where will they live? Would they have children? How might God provide a livelihood? 

 

Looking back on the forty some years of our marriage, I see the lacks John and I brought to the table, and stand amazed at how God transformed them into abundance. There were times of empty pockets, and scary waits for a diagnosis. We muddied the waters with our tempers and selfishness, yet God drew out of us the capacity to love our children and each other. 

 

Which is much sweeter. Plus, it happened without our knowing.