"They have no wine." These are four of the most embarrassing words that could ever be uttered at a wedding celebration for this time period. The reality of these words show a couple's lack of ability to be hospitable to their guests. A celebration of this magnitude after all was far different then what we understand a wedding celebration to be this day. This is so because the celebration does not last for one day as we may understand it to be, but instead lasted for up to seven days. It is no wonder then that it was exclaimed following this miracle: "Every man at first sets forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse, but you have kept the good wine until now." In this exclamation that was made we join with our own wonder and awe because we realize that this was indeed a long celebration and yet this was the best wine that was offered for this wondrous occasion. In this first miracle that was was worked by our Lord we are shown the true fruit of our prayers and labors. What is lacking will indeed be given great meaning through Christ!
Surely we can think of the many ways where our world is trying to find this meaning. It is constantly being shouted out in some way: "They have no wine." Every time when we are afraid of what the future has in store for us; this is what we are shouting out. Every time when we feel the grasp of sin upon us in this life; this is what we are shouting out. Every time when we see an injustice inside of the world; this is what we are shouting out. "They have no wine" are four words that are always able to sympathize with us and with the world that we live within. Indeed like the wedding feast, the time that is set before us can be long and grueling, but when we are in need or fall astray our Lord remains to work His miracles in our life and thus to give us the proper meaning amidst our prayers and labors. Only here will we be able to truly be given the wine of grace when this wine has run dry inside of our life.
Since January 22, 1973 our own country is able to say that "the wine has run dry." On this day forty-one years ago a decision was made by the Supreme Court of this nation that allowed abortion to made legal. We to this day continue to feel the effects of this ruling because every day close to to 4,000 babies are brutally murdered inside of this country. With the great travesty of these statistics it is easy to lose hope because sometimes it seems like we are getting nowhere. Nevertheless, we must remember that at the wedding feast of Cana a great miracle was worked. Therefore from the despair that was found when it was revealed that the wine had ran dry; hope was given through the miracle that was worked by Christ. For this same reason we must continue to pray and to offer sacrifice not only for the injustice of abortion, but for any injustice in our world or also those that we have created in our own lives through sin. On this Wednesday may we remember in a special way to pray, fast, and offer sacrifice that Roe vs. Wade may indeed be overturned and thus that human life will be allowed to flourish in our nation.
Beyond the grasp of our nation and world we must also look internally upon ourselves and ask ourselves in what ways have we allowed the wine to run dry in our own life. The plague of dryness comes about anytime when we avoid prayer in our daily lives. It comes about at those moments when we make an excuse to why we are to busy to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It comes about when we consent to our temptation and thus fall into sin. It comes about in our sorrow when will fall into despair over the situation that we find ourselves within. No matter the struggle that we find ourselves within we must remember the great miracle that was worked at this wedding feast because through it we know that Christ always sees our needs and gives us in return an abundance of grace. We cannot stand around idly, but instead must submit ourselves to the work that is set before us which will allow the water to be transformed into wine.
With the mystery of this wedding feast we can also not forget that "they have no wine" was the plea of our Blessed Mother. We must remember that she always hears and sees our needs and is willing to bring them to the attention of her Son. In the midst of the many moments where our world or ourselves are able to proclaim that we have no wine; devotion to Mary will always help the much needed water to be turned into wine inside of our lives. For this very reason she is forever heralded under titles such as protectress of unborn children, model of motherhood, Mother most pure, help of Christians, refuge of sinners, throne of wisdom, vessel of selfless devotion, or any other title that may be found inside of the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In our weakness she will bring our needs to her Son and He will allow the water of our brokenness to be transformed into the wine of our joy. Let us not continuously live out the embarrassment of the words "they have no wine," but instead may we truly come to trust in Christ and the reality that through our relationship with Him we will be transformed.
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