Changing Water into Wine

Fr. Frederick Edlefsen

Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding.  The Wedding Feast of the Lamb has begun.  Revelation concludes with the Wedding Feast, as multitudes of angels sing, “Let us rejoice and exult and give him praise, for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb has begun” (Revelation 19:7).  Another angel says to St. John, “Blessed are those who are called to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9).  This is an apocalyptic prophecy – a sneak-preview of heaven’s glory.

Cana’s miracle happened seven days after John the Baptist introduced Jesus as the “Lamb of God.”  This is an important detail.   Per Genesis 1, God made the world in seven days.  Jesus attends a wedding feast seven days after the Forerunner reveals that he is the Christ.  Cana’s miracle reveals that Christ “saw how good it is” once again, and contemplates a newly redeemed man and woman at their wedding. 

Jesus’ baptism blesses the waters, making them potent to wash sins away and give the Holy Spirit to us at our baptism.  Christ changes water into wine.  At the Last Supper, he would change the wine into his Body and Blood.  

St. Thomas Aquinas said wine represents love and wisdom, as it “gives joy to man’s heart” (Psalm 104).  The Song of Songs says, “Eat, O friends, and drink wine; drink deeply O lovers” (Songs 5:1)!  Christ reveals the New Wine of God’s love and wisdom that cheers the human heart.

At Cana’s wedding, Mary tells the waiters, “Do whatever he tells you.”  Not only is Christ’s divine power revealed, but Mary is revealed as our intercessor.   He wants us to approach him through her and with her.  Grace passes through her who is “full of grace” (Luke 1:27).

Turn to Mary.  She leads us to the Lamb’s Wedding Feast, to the New Creation, where we will forever drink the New Wine of God’s love and wisdom.  “I will drink from the stream by the wayside, and therefore I shall life up my head” (Psalm 110:7).