Mysteries Of LightSample

"The Wedding Feast at Cana"

John starts this story with ‘on the third day,’ and this is the first of many phrases and expressions loaded with symbolic significance.

The story again contains much to meditate on, and again we discover more about Jesus’s very nature and being. As with so much of John’s writing, we are led into a deeper and deeper understanding of God and humanity.

Why does John use the expression ‘on the third day’? There are many possibilities. The most obvious one that springs to our minds is the resurrection.

Perhaps John is highlighting for us that this story reveals the divinity of Jesus in the same profound way as his resurrection, although John doesn't use this term himself when referring to the resurrection.

Maybe it’s a connection with the creation story in Genesis chapter 1 which had echoes in his prologue. On day three of the creation story, God creates fruit and seeds. He provides for our basic need of food and drink. Maybe John is highlighting that Jesus, as God, still provides for our basic needs.

We may also remember the story of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on the third day in Exodus chapter 19. This is a new covenant between God and his people. Is John suggesting that Jesus is making a new covenant here?

Or maybe it is simply a literary device to show time passing used by an author helping his readers to follow the events and to develop a sense of the story?

We may never know, but one thing is for certain - John tells us this story for a reason, and as such it is worth spending time reflecting on it over and over again.

One of the reasons may be to highlight a model of prayer to us. We can learn a lot from the way ‘the mother of Jesus’ asks her son to help.

She simply highlights the need and leaves the choice of intervention to him.

How often do we fall into the trap of not only highlighting an issue to God and then proceeding to tell him the way that we think he should resolve it?

It is liberating to follow Mary’s example here, trusting in the wisdom of Jesus and the love that he has for us. I don’t need to figure out the plan of action. I can simply trust that he will act in ways that will bring about the best results.

Again, take some time repeating a prayer over and over whilst allowing the words of this story to reverberate in your heart and mind.