Sermon for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany
“O woman, what is that to thee and to me? Mine hour has not yet come.”
Another snowstorm! Another sermon! Another Epiphany story! Something about God is made manifest in Jesus Christ. John tells us that “this beginning of signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth his glory and his disciples believed on him.” It captures in a way the purpose of the Epiphany season. Something about the truth and glory of God is made manifest and known through the humanity of Jesus and we are being challenged about how we respond. What is made manifest about the glory of Christ?
A miracle? To be sure, the Epiphany season is the season of miracles that show us two things: first, the power of God which cannot be constrained to the physical world simply; and, secondly, the truth and perfection of our humanity which God seeks for us. “This beginning of signs,” as John puts it, is especially significant because it shows us something of the deeper purpose of God’s will for our humanity; something more beyond the truth and wonder of the healing miracles that point to restoration and wholeness. Here water is turned into wine signifying a greater good, our social joys, we might say.
Yet beyond miracles themselves there is something else that stands out in the Gospel story. It has to do with the dialogue between Jesus and Mary. That itself is outstanding. There are really only two dialogues between Jesus and Mary in the Gospels. We heard last week about the encounter in the temple at Jerusalem. There Mary interrogates Jesus, “Son why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.” It provides the occasion for him to make manifest the higher purpose of his coming and his being with us. “Did you not know that I must be about my father’s business?” he says, pointing Mary and us to the deeper reason and purpose of the Incarnation. Something of God’s will for our humanity is made known in the incarnate life of Christ. It is a wonderful exchange.
