Monday, January 7, 2013

Do Whatever Jesus Tells You To Do

On this Monday, the appointed Gospel is taken from John where we read about Jesus’first miracle at a wedding feast:
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (Jn. 2: 1-11).
Jesus’ first miracle in John’s Gospel takes place at a wedding feast where he turns water into wine. When all hope is lost, Jesus is called upon to help. And he does. Out of nothing, Jesus brings forth the best. He does the same for you and for me. All we need to do is to trust Jesus, and do whatever Jesus tells us to do. That's right; do whatever Jesus tells you to do. It is that simple, and that hard.
Let us pray: O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
17 January 2013: Seaside Seniors at St. Augustine.
21 January 2013: MLK Day at St. Vincent’s House: Noon day prayers and celebration.
Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Lee Runion and Randy Furlong.
Your servant in Christ,
The Rev. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

1 comment:

  1. Jesus' new wine was a sign; this sign revealed Jesus' glory to his disciples. When John the Baptist revealed Jesus to Israel at his baptism, he saw the Spirit descend and remain on Jesus; John contrasts his baptism with water and Jesus' coming baptism with the Spirit (Jn. 1:31-34). Contrasting liquid metaphors continue when Jesus contrasts the water from the well and the living water he can give to the Samaritan woman (Jn. 4). In Jn. 7:38-39 Jesus will portray the Spirit he gives his disciples as living water; it will be given after he is glorified (after his "hour" to return to the Father comes). In Jn. 2, his hour has not yet come and so it seems not the time to give his new wine, but Jesus changes water to wine anyway as a sign of what will come in the future; after Jesus departs, the main gift he will leave with them is the Paraclete, the Spirit (Jn. 14-16).

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