The first sign in the book of signs, which can be thought of as the second section of John's gospel is the story of the changing of the water into wine at the wedding in Cana (Jn 2.1-11). It is an interesting story that points to the abundance of new life in the change of the water into wine. John's gospel is full of allegories which are not meant to be taken literally but have been by many. What is important here, among other things, is the almost derogatory way in which the mother of Christ is addressed as 'woman'. Mary, the virgin is delineated to its fullest in Luke's gospel but in her two appearances in John she is addressed as 'woman' by Christ. Here in this story and the second time from the cross. So how does this help us to understand what is going on here and the other readings for today.
Rather than calling this a miracle it is deemed to be a sign in John's gospel and so what does a sign do? A sign points the way and in doing so assists us to see the journey upon which we have embarked. It is doubtful that the woman is Mary but rather an allegorical figure of motherhood, the wellspring from which we are derived (born). If this is the case then this story points towards the newness of life that comes when we cling to Christ. An abundance that occurs as we become wedded to the life that Christ points us towards (Is 62.5), This wellspring of new wine grants us a new perspective on our own lives as traditions often lead to stultification if we cling to them to closely. In such newness we can perceive all manner of changes that we can see through to the end by relying on God's gifts through the Spirit.
Like with all things there can be many issues associated with the gifts God gives to us. What, issues with what gives? Unfortunately, like many things, whilst our gifts may enable us to do much good they can also be used not for the benefit of the community of God but for the glorification of the individual. This is the human failing as when we explore and develop our gifts from God we begin to see them as ours and ours alone. This places us in a position of power / authority / pridefulness etc that enables us to abuse the gift for our benefit. We may not realise that we are doing so and we may not see the detrimental effect that it is having on the people around us but it is always a possibility that we must be aware of. God gives us the gifts that he gives so that we can expand God's presence whilst glorifying God's name. The moment we begin to utilise the gift for a purpose that it is not given i.e. for ourselves or our benefit beyond what God asks, then we begin to damage the relationships that the gift is meant to enhance and develop.
Good examples can often be found in parishes, clubs and larger organisations if we look carefully. One common type is the gift of organisation which if used to the fullest extent to God's wish will enable an organisation to go beyond where you would normally expect. However, if used for personal aggrandisement the gift may devolve into a person who is stubborn and hoards old material that has no use for anyone anymore. The person becomes a wall which does not allow the organisation to develop beyond the point that the person has control. In other ways gifts can become personalised so much that speaking about their knowledge/gift can antagonise/hurt others who are struggling towards change or understanding. There is also a tendency to suggest some form of competitiveness within an organisation because of a mine is better than yours attitude. This then begins to destroy the fabricate of the community. Paul clearly states that all gifts come from one source in God (1 Cor. 12.11) and we cannot claim one is better than the other. Our dealings with each other must be undertaken in love without our utilisation of our gifts as weapons to show our supremacy and to get our way or to force our conception of God's way onto others.
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