3rd
Epiphany
John
2, 1-11
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| Egbert Codex |
On
the third day, a wedding took place in
Cana in Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus and his disciples
were also invited to the wedding.
When
the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
And
Jesus answered her, “Something still weaves between me and you, O Woman. The
hour when I can work out of myself alone has not yet come.”
Then
his mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
There
were six stone jars set up there for the Jewish custom of ceremonial washing,
each containing twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars
with fresh water.”
And
they filled them to the brim. And he said, “Now draw some out and take it to
the Master of the feast. And they brought it to him.
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| Woloschina |
Now
when the Master of the feast tasted the water that had become wine, not knowing
where it came from—for only the servants who had drawn the water knew—he called
the bridegroom aside and said to him, “Everyone serves the choice wine first,
and when the guests have drunk, then the lesser; but you have saved the best
until now.”
This, the beginning of
the signs of the spirit which Jesus performed among men happened at Cana in
Galilee and revealed the creating spiritual power that worked through Him. The
disciples’ hearts opened, the power of faith began to stir in them, and they
began to trust in him.
3rd Epiphany Sunday
January 26, 2020
John 2, 1 – 11
In ancient times, human consciousness of self was weak and
dreamy. At that time, drinking a small amount of wine had the effect of
awakening and strengthening self-awareness.
Christ’s first spiritual sign was enacted at a wedding, at a
celebration of the union of the masculine and feminine halves of the human
being. The fact that the couple had run out of wine symbolizes the state of humankind
in general—the time for alcohol as a valid strengthener of the ego has run out.
Mankind needs a new source for the strengthening of the self.
At the same time, the joining of masculine and feminine
forces is also celebrated at this wedding event on another level. At this early
stage in Christ’s working, He needs the compassionate heart force of the
Soul-Mother, grounded as it is in earthly and social realities. It is as though
through her, He can connect with Mother Earth and draw up the strengthening
force for the human self from her depths. He who will later say, “I am the
Vine, you are the branches,” John 15:5,
begins to root Himself into the depths of earth. He begins the work of
transformation, transforming the watery depths into the sun-drenched
strengthening power of the grape. Through Him, Water becomes for the self the
strength and effervescence of the best possible Wine.
This event foreshadows the Last Supper, when He, the Vine,
transforms fruit of
the vine into the sacrificial strength of His Blood. On the
cross, the Vine will pour His blood into Mother Earth, giving back to her of
Himself and strengthening her. Thereby He quietly strengthens and grounds all humankind
for our work on earth.
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| Christ in the Winepress |
In the Eucharist, we choose to consciously receive the power
of His blood into our bodies of earth; we receive the power of His blood into
our weakened souls so that something of a wedding begins to take place. Something
begins to weave between Him and us, between His Self and our selves. A kind of
wedding song, a song of call and response, begins to ring forth.
“I am the Vine, you are the branches, Whoever abides in me
will bear much fruit.” John 15:5
And we answer, ‘What shall we do, Lord?’
“The hour when I can work out of myself alone has not yet
come.” John 2:4
How can we help, Lord?
“Without the strength of my I AM, you can do nothing. John 2:4 As the Father has loved me, so have I
loved you. Abide now in my love. John 15:9
And we answer, ‘Yes Lord, take us in exchange for having given
yourself to us. Now, what shall we do?’
And the intimate and encouraging refrain of his mother’s
answer echoes down through the ages: ‘Do
whatever He tells you.’ John 2:5
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