When the Wine Runs Dry

It was over three years ago, while searching up writing opportunities online, that I stumbled upon an ad featuring a black-and-white graphic of a man hunched over a typewriter. Like many advertisements online, it was off to the right side, discreet and yet compelling for what the copy read: “Is the Holy Spirit calling you? Consider writing with Catholic Stand.”

Being the sort of person who muses, I did consider it – quite a lot, actually. (I believe the technical term is “overthink”.) When this happens, I am like a manual transmission car on a steep incline, one foot on the clutch and the other on the gas, trying to keep from rolling back but unsure of whether I should move forward. As they do with many others, fear and uncertainty tend to leave me paralyzed, stuck in the limbo of hemming and hawing. Truthfully, nothing seems better in those moments than to be told what to do.

The One When Wine Ran Out

“On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples, When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:1-4)

These passages relate to some of the most engaging and significant scenes in scripture. Jesus and Mary are guests at a wedding in Cana. In the middle of all the festivities, Mary somehow becomes aware of a potentially embarrassing dilemma for the wedding hosts and immediately turns to her Son with an economical summary of the problem at hand: “They have no wine.”

If I had to “find” myself in the scene, I would be one of the servants, either scurrying around like a headless chicken or frozen in abject fear, without a clue as to how we could solve this dilemma. In real life, this is akin to unexpectedly running out of resources – money, time, opportunities, people willing to help, patience – when one needs it most. What did I do wrong? Why is this happening? What do I do now?

Yet, Mary herself provides the answer, directing our attention to the One she always points to: His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)

What Does “Whatever” Mean?

What a broad and vague word “whatever” is. The funny thing about faith is that, in very many ways, it is not that we are asked to believe in what is ludicrous; rather, we are invited to believe in what we ourselves deem to be impossible. We think something could not happen because we cannot imagine it, or because if we cannot do it ourselves, how can anyone else? Our field of vision is so limited and obstructed, we fail to see with faith, hope, and love.

Do whatever he tells you.

And what does Jesus tell us?

Keeping It Simple

In the narrative of what transpired at the wedding in Cana, the reaction of the servants who were told to fill six stone jars with water is not mentioned. I can imagine how odd it would have been to be told to get water when it is wine which is running out. However, it is not impossible to imagine the disbelief of some who may have been skeptical of Jesus’ request. After all, why water?

Well, why not water? It was easily accessible and required only some muscle power and obedience. Sometimes, our resistance to what is in front of us is because it is so simple – perhaps too simple. Perhaps, we look for the fantastic and spectacular in order for a “miracle” to happen. It is easy to forget that God is also in the small, the quiet, the ordinary.

My Leap of Faith

It has now been three full years since I became a writer on Catholic Stand. Since I began, my husband and I celebrated twenty-five years of marriage, watched and helped our twelve children become more independent and engaged in different aspects of life, started a catering business, lived and are still living through a pandemic – and I have written and published thirty-six articles. Perhaps this may not seem much, especially to those who have been writing for much longer.

But you see, in the course of these past three years, I have found my spiritual and mental stone jar dry of the good, sweet wine of inspiration and enlightenment, wisdom, and enthusiasm. Instead, I have found my stone jar to be cracked and leaking. Many times, my wine did run out and I scrambled around trying to make sense of why I spend time writing an article when I have so many other important things to do.

But then –

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)

I am so grateful for the blessed opportunity to have been able to write as I do and be a witness to the faith and my Father God’s loving and merciful providence. I am compelled to write because of the spark of hope and fervour of love for Christ in my soul.

“Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.” (Matthew 5:15)

I owe nothing less than my love and willingness to bring forward my patched-up stone jar full of water when Jesus tells me to do so.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. (John 14:6),