One of the great joys of being a minister is that of officiating at weddings.  I especially enjoy getting to know the couples who are preparing for a life together.  The day of the wedding can be a time of enormous joy and true celebration, beginning with the ceremony and ordinarily concluding with a reception of some type. 

I am often moved by the powerful emotions present on such occasions.    More often than not, I leave not only with a renewed appreciation for my own marriage, but also with enormous gratitude to God, for the gift of human love. A wedding can be what we call an "epiphany" - a moment when we become aware of God's presence in our life in a new, light-giving way.

Yet if the truth be told, something usually "goes wrong" at most weddings.  We clergy-types abound with "wedding stories!"  Most often, it's something small of which the casual observer is unaware.  Shoes have come in the wrong size, or refuse to stay on.  A young child who was to have been the ring bearer changes his mind.  The bride is less than prompt.  Such occurrences are the norm rather than the exception, and rarely impact either the day or the marriage.

I have experienced somewhat larger problems, as well - ones not so easily hidden.  At one wedding, the florist failed to show up - at all!  Fainting bridesmaids are fairly common, especially if the air conditioning isn't working, or knees get locked, as happened here this past July.  I've also heard stories of rings that fell down an open grate or a father of the bride whose tux pants literally fell down around his ankles!  Such is the stuff of great stories as the years move on.

There are occurrences however, that would not be looked upon with laughter and appreciation - even at a later time.  Such was the situation in our gospel lesson this morning.

John tells us that Jesus and his disciples were attending a wedding at Cana.  Some background is probably in order to help set the stage.  While an extremely elaborate wedding today might take the better part of two days, it would have been customary for first century Jewish weddings to last up to a week. No small party!  First would be the ceremony at the bride's home.  Then the festivities would move to the groom's home, where food and drink would be provided for days on end.  In a small town, there probably were not a great many opportunities for such celebrations, so you can be sure that a wedding was an occasion thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Also keep in mind, that most folks lived day to day, in a very simple manner.  So, while a grand time, a wedding was an enormous outlay of time, energy and money.  The extravagance of expenditures could be great for those who began with modest means.  And if things weren't planned well, there wasn't a Heinens or Giant Eagle down the street should they run out of something critical. 

The financial responsibility for this extravaganza belonged to the groom.  It was a matter of pride and honor to make sure that all of the guests were well fed, and had enough to drink.  Failure to show adequate hospitality would have brought great shame.  I've even read that the bride's family could sue if proper hospitality was not extended.  Running out of wine, as apparently had occurred at this particular wedding, would have been an insult to those invited to the celebration - and would caused the groom and his new bride problems for years to come.

Sensitive to the situation, Jesus' mother, who is in attendance as well, becomes aware of the potential social disaster.  She approaches Jesus, and in short order, six empty pots, ordinarily used for ritual cleaning, are overflowing with wine of the best kind.  The groom's good name is maintained, and the party continues, without any one the wiser.  In fact, the steward - the servant in charge - thinks that the groom has simply saved the best wine for last!  The wine which was in short supply is now enough for a crowd far larger than that assembled - about 150 gallons!!!

This week at one of our Disciple bible study classes, we talked about the importance of looking for the meaning behind the text.  In the gospel of John, that is particularly important.  Remember that John's gospel was written significantly later than the other three.   John is less concerned with telling us in historical sequence about the events of Jesus' life and ministry, than he is in conveying the meaning of who Jesus is.  Nothing is included in John's gospel that doesn't have multiple layers of meaning. 

There is very little material that we find in John that is also found in Matthew, Mark and Luke.   Today's story is found only in John, and is the first of seven miracle stories unique to this gospel, which John calls "signs." John selects only 7 "signs" to include in his gospel, even though he says, that there are so many that if they were all written down, there would not be enough books to hold them. These signs point beyond the particular event to what we can see of God through that event.  Beyond themselves, these signs in John's gospel demonstrate a greater reality breaking into our midst.  The story of the wedding at Cana overflows with meaning, much like the jars of wine.

But why would John begin the story of Jesus' ministry with this particular miracle story?  If you are only going to include seven total, why include this one at all?  Changing water into wine just doesn't seem to rank up there with making the blind to see or raising the dead.  In fact, it almost seems trivial.  Why is Jesus wasting his time on such things?  For those of us whose lives have been touched by alcoholism, showing Jesus providing an excess of wine poses yet another problem.

This is where it is really important to remember that this story is a "sign." As one of my online colleagues said this week, "it's not about the wine!" John is trying to tell us something important about Jesus.  The details of the wedding, as you may notice, are not included.  We don't know the bride or groom's name, or what she wore, or who else was there, save for Jesus and his disciples and his mother.

What we do know is that Jesus was invited to a party - and he went.  He joined in celebrating at one of life's important transitional moments.  He didn't say, "Oh, I can't waste my time on something like that!"  Unlike too many of us, he didn't take himself so seriously that he couldn't enjoy the festivities.  When the wine ran out, Jesus not only saved the host from humiliation, he also demonstrated that what he has to offer is limitless.  Jesus turning water into wine is a picture of all he came to do. This first miracle points us to the hope and possibilities which are abundant in Jesus.

Jesus was not a leader without humor, one who was all piety without a smile.  By presenting this sign first in his gospel, John signals that Jesus came to celebrate all that is good about human life and our world.  He came that we might have life - and have it abundantly - overflowing, you might say.  The One who has called us delights in our laughter.  Jesus comes into the midst of human life, and by his presence, blesses it - and transforms it.  He not only saved one party from being a disaster - he showed us that life is meant to be lived to the fullest, and that God's love and grace won't ever run out.  This "sign" was an epiphany - an ordinary circumstance revealing something about God.

It is true that most people are more used to seeking God's presence when times are tough, when they are in need of God's comfort and care.  To be sure - God is there when the wine runs out!  When we are running on empty, when we are tired, worn out, lacking joy or verging on despair, we are told that all we have to do is ask - and God will come to fill the empty places to the brim, overflowing with grace and love.  If we bring what we have - even if it is only empty water jugs, Jesus will take what we have and transform it into far more than we could ever imagine.  When joy, the wine of life, has gone from our lives, there is a guest who has the ability to take that which is common in our lives, and turn it into a rich resource.

Yet God is not there only in times of trouble, but seeks to share - and even expand our joy, as well.  This isn't a kind of "me-first" happiness. This joy doesn't happen by accident, but is grounded by our openness to God's presence in our lives.   Seeing God in the everyday routines of our lives reminds us that God's extravagance is always available, always present.  That source of joy opens our hearts and seeks to include others.  It is broad and expansive - and comes from a never-ending well.  That kind of joy is contagious - and literally turns lives upside down.

One of my online colleagues tells a story that Tony Campolo, an evangelical preacher, speaker and author has shared.    "He was in Hawaii for a speaking engagement.  Now, since he lives in Pennsylvania, there was quite a time change when he went to Hawaii, and he found himself up wanting breakfast at 3 a.m.  So he went out walking to see if he could find someplace that was open, and the only place he could find at that hour was a place that gave new meaning to the term "greasy spoon."  He ordered the safest thing he could think of in a place like that-coffee and a donut-and as he ate, a group of prostitutes came in.  They talked pretty loudly, and so Tony couldn't help overhearing their conversation. 

One of the women mentioned that the next day was her 39th birthday.  Another one said to her, sarcastically, "What do you want, a party?"  And the first one, far too calloused for such a remark even to sting, said, "No, I don't need to have a party.  No one's ever given me a birthday party; why would I want to have one now?"

Well, after the women finally left, Tony said asked the fellow who ran the little diner, "Do they come in here every night?"  The guy said they did, and so Tony asked, "Why don't we throw her a birthday party tomorrow?"  Well, as they talked, they both got really enthusiastic, and then the woman in the kitchen-the wife of the owner of the diner-got involved too.  They planned decorations, and the fellow said he'd set the grapevine in motion to get the word out about the party-it was going to be a surprise-and insisted on making the birthday cake himself.

So the next night, Tony went back to the diner, a little earlier, and they decorated it up and waited.  Didn't take long before what seemed like every prostitute in Honolulu showed up; and then when the guest of honor arrived, they all yelled, "Surprise!  Happy birthday!!" 

The owner of the diner brought out the cake, with 30 candles all lit up.  And she just stood there and cried.  "No one's ever given me a birthday party before."

They urged her to blow out the candles so they could cut the cake.  But she said, "Do you mind if we don't cut it right away?  I've never had a birthday cake before.  I'd like to look at it a while longer.  Can I take it home?"

Well, sure, that was fine-there were plenty of other things to eat-so she took the cake home.  While she was gone, and all the folks were standing around not really knowing what to do in the meantime, Tony said, "What do you say we all pray for her while she's gone?"  They didn't see why not, so he led them all in a prayer that she would come to know Christ, that her life might be transformed, that God would bless her.

When the prayer was over, the owner of the diner asked Tony, "Are you a preacher or something?"  Tony said yes, he was. 

"What kind of church?" Tony says, "The kind of church that throws birthday parties for hookers at 3:30 in the morning."  And the owner says, "There isn't any church like that.  If there was, I'd join."  (The Rev. Sharla Hulsey, Midrash lectionary group).

May we be the kind of church that is open to all of the joy our God has to offer - and which is willing to share that joy with all.