Weddings... Family Affairs

Rufus went to bed early last night. He was dog tired. Suzanne and Rick got married on the deck yesterday and his day was full of pats and snacks, children and merriment. As a matter of fact, my day was full of the same. Friends and family gathered round Rick and Suzanne tp celebrate the formal public recognition of the love that has sustained them in the past years. The service was personal with beloved children singing and dancing, stories of Rick’ daughter, Christine, and Suzanne’s son Christopher who died but were present in bittersweet memory, sisters and brothers, remembrances of parents who are no longer with them and a father who is present in body but mostly absent in mind. A beautiful bride, happy daughters who were lovely bridesmaids in yellow, a proud (and pooped) groom, a hay ride around the farm, food and drink a plenty and unending sunshine on a day that had an eighty percent chance of rain... it was a perfect wedding. When I remember this day, I will remember the laughter, the good humor, the feelings of joy and the shining faces of all those who gathered to bless this family.
I always loved the story of Jesus going to the wedding in Cana. He had been to John his cousin and been publicly baptized. He had called his first disciples. Then he went home for a wedding. His mama must have told him he had to come home for this one. It was probably a family member getting married and in the fine old tradition of families worldwide, you show up for weddings and funerals. And when the happy family ran out of wine, she went straight to her son and said “Fix it.” Jesus put up an argument but it was a weak one and she paid him no mind. Turning to the servants she said, “Do what he tells you to do.” They did and Jesus produced the best wine of the party, his first public miracle.
For years I have wondered what Jesus had done to produce such certainty in Mary of his ability to fix this embarrassing situation. Somewhere, somehow, she knew she could trust him to provide a solution for this problem. He didn’t let his mama down. His first miracle recorded in the Gospels is not one of healing, or peace bestowed or wrongs righted, but a celebration rescued from public humiliation because his mama told him to.
This would not be the only party Jesus would attend during his time on earth. He was fussed at by religious leaders for eating and drinking with sinners, kind of like Baptists dancing in public or being seen going in to the liquor store on Saturday. It was unseemly at the least and against all the rules for the right kind of religious people to party with those folks. He should have been busy saving their miserable souls or righting wrongs or doing something meaningful, not partying. Jesus knew the value of a good time, laughter and love wrapped around those of us who live in a world full of sorrows and loss. Weddings remind us that love is the final answer to all the questions that come when life is not perfect. And anything that comes our way is accepted with grace and gratitude because we are loved and are not alone. No need for a wine (or beer) miracle yesterday. We had our miracles of love, laughter and sunshine and it was more than enough. Our cups of thanksgiving overflow. Thanks be to God.