Monday, May 9, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Translation of the Relics of Nicholas of Myra
7th Vigil of Pascha: Zephaniah 3:8-15 Apostle: Acts 3:19-26 Gospel: St. John 2:1-11
St. John 2:1-11, especially vs. 11: "This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and
manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him." The first eleven chapters of St. John's Gospel comprise a
distinct unit, being structured around seven "signs" or miracles wrought by the Lord: 1) changing water to wine (2:1-11), 2)
curing a nobleman's son (4:46-54), 3) healing a paralytic (5:1-15), 4) feeding 5,000 (6:1-14), 5) walking on water (6:15-21), 6) giving sight to a blind man (9:1-41), and 7) raising Lazarus - four days dead (11:38-44).
In St. John 2:11, the Evangelist states the two purposes of these signs: to fix attention on the Divinity of the Lord Jesus as
He manifests seven aspects of the glory of God, and to evoke commitment and submission to Christ as Lord. The sign
which is the focus of the present account occurred at a wedding reception, and involved a significant verbal exchange
between the Lord and His Mother. He converted a large volume of water into premium quality wine.
First, we do well to examine the setting of this first sign: a wedding celebration to which Christ was specifically invited.
However, the presence of the Lord at a wedding changed the entire "equation" of marriage. As Father John Mack says, "In
being at this wedding, and in performing His first miracle there, Jesus forever blesses marriage and sets it apart as a
'sanctified' way of life." The divine glory of the Incarnate God and Savior manifested in the marriage at Cana proclaims
the Divine potential of all marriages everywhere.
Christ expanded the foundational truth of the Old Testament, that God creates mankind as male and female to "Be fruitful
and multiply" (Gen. 1:28). Marriage no longer is limited to a legal contract between a husband and a wife, for all the glory
of God revealed in Christ is now manifested in, through, and for marriage. Christian marriage is a call to manifest the
entire redemption, salvation, love, forgiveness, and knowledge of God's glory which are ours in Christ. This enlarged
mission leads the Church to call Holy Wedlock a Mystery or a Sacrament.
As Father John Meyendorff says, Christian marriage is "a unique union of two beings in love, two beings who can
transcend their own humanity and thus be united not only 'with each other' but also 'in Christ.'" The Lord Jesus makes His
glory available to all marriages. When the Evangelist says that Jesus' disciples "believed in Him," it means that Christian
faith now includes the Lord's expanded redefinition of marriage as Holy Mystery.
Next, consider the exchange between His Mother and the Savior. She initiated a glorious spiritual action by her words,
"They have no wine" (vs. 3). In identifying a need, she manifested one of her major roles - as intercessor. Further, the
Lord's response must not be read as a harsh rebuttal of her. Rather, He clarifies that He is no longer under her authority nor
subject to her wishes, something she still might well have expected (Lk. 2:51 and Mt. 12:47,48). His formative years were
over. Note well, she took no offense at His words, but continued in her role as intercessor: "Whatever He says to you, do
it" (vs. 5). Here again the glory of God is disclosed in magnifying the role of His Virgin Mother as first among intercessors
for those in need.
Finally, there was the changing of water into wine. The failure of human beings to provide was contravened by the grace
and love of Christ our God. The Incarnate Lord revealed the glorious truth that God transforms earthly things into Life-giving, heavenly, good things filled with His Spirit. Behold, in becoming Incarnate, God has given us His Holy Mysteries.
O Lord, Thou wonderful Turner of water into wine, bring Thy divine flame to our extinguished fire. Turn the water of our
being into divine wine, that we may be like to Thee; and, being so, may live in Thine immortal Kingdom with Thy glorious
angels. (St. Nikolai of Zica)
