Loading...There is something about a wedding that brings out the urgency in us. How many dramatic scenes are depicted in movies where when the officiant asks, “Can anyone show just cause why this couple my not lawfully be married?” as someone is frantically running to the church doors to declare something. I can’t picture Dustin Hoffman any other way [The Graduate].
A wedding is a single ceremony given gravity by the weight of lifetime of expected ceremonies which constitute marriage. This sermon is not about marriage. This sermon is about courage.
Researcher Brene Brown defines courage as asking for what you need. And that is exactly what Mary does in the story John tells about a wedding in Cana. Let’s look at it.
When Mary comes to Jesus to say “they have no more wine” that is an act of bravery. Jesus says “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me?”
Some interpret that as a rather rude response especially from a child to a parent. If you dig a little deeper you learn that a closer translation, although a bit more clunky, goes like this: “What is that between you and between me?”
Mary and Jesus alone belong to a unique community of understanding. They are the Incarnate team of God’s plans and purposes made flesh. Up until today theirs is an exclusive bond. Mary opens up that exclusive community of two to the entire wedding feast when she looks at the servants and says “do what he tells you.” Jesus may not believe his time has come but Mary believes the time has come for all to see and believe in the mission for which Jesus is made Incarnate.
Belonging to that Incarnate community means being invited. I want to offer you a short exercise in belonging. It’s completely personal and you don’t have to share it with anyone. This is a way of understanding what it means to belong and maybe even to ask for what you need. Be brave. I learned this from Brene Brown’s offerings. Take a piece of paper and draw a heart. On the inside of the heart write Love Is. On the outside write Love is Not. Take two minutes to describe what and who belong those to places.
[congregation writes on the paper distributed for this sermon]
It’s amazing that Jesus could transform water into wine. How many wedding invitations did He recieve after that?
Equally amazing to me is that Jesus and Mary would include the entire wedding event into the plans and purposes set for his mission. Subsequently Jesus includes the entire world in the plans and purposes of salvation when he spreads out his arms upon the cross.
The cross is the answer Jesus gives to the question asked by the poet Mary Oliver,
“Tell me, what is it you, plan to do, wild and, precious life?”
Mary Oliver died Thursday and one of her thoughts on the end of life makes me appreciate the amazing wedding sign by which Jesus shows his glory after Mary shows her bravery.
Mary Oliver writes: “When it’s over, I want to say: all my/ life/ I was a bride married to amazement.”
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-oliver
