WATCHWORD:
39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” Luke 1:39-45
1 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” John 1:1-5
Meditation:
A Small Town Wedding
Cana: A week long wedding celebration in a small town. Jesus, his mother, and four of his disciples have been invited and are enjoying their time celebrating. The scripture is clear, Jesus has recently returned from the Jordan where he was baptized by John. You know the story, by the 3rd or 4th day of the celebration the wine has run out. People would be leaving. Mary, Jesus’s mother, knows full well who her son is. The message from the Angel 30 years before made it very clear. She had no full understanding of the power of that moment only that her son was special. So she tells the stewards, “Do whatever he tells you.”
The disciples heard what she said and they heard Jesus’ reply. Then they witnessed his following through with the stewards, saw the water being poured into the jars and later the finest wine being poured out. Mary may not have been surprised by that, but the disciples had to be astounded. It defied imagination, but later it became a defining moment in their dedication to the ministry of Jesus.
We need not wait for a miracle to define the purpose of Jesus, God’s son, being sent to save us. For Mary, the defining moment may very well have been those first few moments when being greeted by Elizabeth after her arduous journey. To that point in time she recalled the angel’s message, but there was no real evidence as yet of the Messiah that she would deliver. But now Elizabeth has underscored it, if there had been any doubt in Mary’s mind it was gone, like morning mist, and she knew. That truth became her strength through the pregnancy, the delivery, the development of this young man into the Son of God. Even at Calvary her confidence never wavered as she moved about, encouraging His followers to remember what Jesus had said.
On this Christmas Eve, Eve, our celebration marks what we already know and believe. We know that the journey from the manger to Calvary and beyond is all part of our faith journey as well. He is our Lord and savior, he is our brother, through his act we have been made children of God…the singular reason we joyfully celebrate this season. Amen.
Closing Prayer:
Loving God, as we gather on this day before Christmas Eve, we ask for your blessings upon our families and friends. The past several weeks have been a hectic time with decorations, and celebrations with family and friends, and worship services that is focused on the coming of our lord. Now Lord grant us a certain degree of calmness and peace as we come to the culmination of our celebration and worship, what we celebrate as the birthday of our Lord and savior. Fill us with the warmth of your love and give us the light of your guidance. We give you all the glory and honor, Lord. You are our God and Father. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
