On Tuesday[
John 2:1 Greek: the third day, equivalent to Hebrew yom shlishi
] there was a wedding at Kanah in the Galil; and the mother of Yeshua was there. 2 Yeshua too was invited to the wedding, along with his talmidim. 3 The wine ran out, and Yeshua’s mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 Yeshua replied, “Mother, why should that concern me? — or you? My time hasn’t come yet.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now six stone water-jars were standing there for the Jewish ceremonial washings, each with a capacity of twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Yeshua told them, “Fill the jars with water,” and they filled them to the brim. 8 He said, “Now draw some out, and take it to the man in charge of the banquet”; and they took it. 9 The man in charge tasted the water; it had now turned into wine! He did not know where it had come from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. So he called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone else serves the good wine first and the poorer wine after people have drunk freely. But you have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This, the first of Yeshua’s miraculous signs, he did at Kanah in the Galil; he manifested his glory, and his talmidim came to trust in him.
[Complete Jewish Bible]---------------------
I've always identified with my namesake, Thomas "the Doubter." The older I get, the more comfortable I am with my doubts. But it's really not about doubting, it's about being able to believe. What do I need to learn, see or experience to help me believe?
Jesus' first sign, showing us that he was the presence of God with us, was at the wedding in Cana. We all know the story. At the request of his mother, Jesus turned water into wine. Not just any old wine, but really good wine! This sign, done by Jesus, not only saved the party but made quite a statement. People noticed the good wine. The wedding steward even wondered aloud why the host had saved the best wine for the end of the party when people were already drunk and wouldn't appreciate it as much.
I think Jesus did this for people like me. People who need to see to believe--or in this case taste to believe. John tells us that when the disciples saw this sign, they believed. In Jesus, we continue to see that God is with us, too.
In the midst of doubt and uncertainty, thank you for the ways you show us that you are with us. Help us to believe. Amen.
Tom Jolivette
Executive for Client Development, Kairos and Associates
Master of Divinity , 1980
John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."
4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come."
5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim.
8 He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward." So they took it.
9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom
10 and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now."
11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.[New Revised Standard Version]
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