Water into Wine

Now that I have recuperated from last week's illness I am ready to jump back into work--and blogging! The last few months have been lacking in posts so I'm going to try and get more up.

Since the Taize service last week I have been thinking about the miracle of changing water into wine. The reading was the wedding at Cana, during which a reluctant Jesus tells some servants to fill some jugs with water, and then when they fill their flasks it turns into a delicious wine.
                                                       
During Father Nigel's sermon he talked about changing our lives, changing them from 'water into wine', and this resonated with me.

It's no secret I am interested in All Things Churchy, so I like knowing random things (like the names for   things in the sacristy--and where a 'sacristy' is)... a couple of years ago on

a young adult retreat we had an Instructed Eucharist. We held a service (in a gazebo in Sewanee in the fall, you can imagine how gorgeous it      was) and Father Polk went through the Eucharist and explained it to us--i.e. why he does or says certain things. One of the things he told us was that the reason he pours a little bit of water into the consecrated wine   was that the water represents the people, humanity, dwelling with the divine. It is representative of Christ,   who was both human and divine. To me this was a powerful image. (there are several theologians who go more into detail about this, and I will direct you to St. Cyprian, St. Thomas Aquinas, and the Council of Trent.)

Fast forward to last week and Father Nigel's message about changing our lives from water into wine. Pouring out our humanity and being filled with the divine. Letting go of our egos, our grudges, our human weaknesses, so that we can embrace compassion, forgiveness, and our fellow human beings. I probably won't be able to empty myself of all of my humanness--not by myself anyway. I might be more water than wine sometimes. But in striving to be like Christ-- water and wine--I will hopefully be just as sweet.

Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. (Ecc. 9:7)

Grace and Peace,
Kathleen