Sermon for the Second Sunday After Epiphany: Becoming Like the Empty Waterpots

The Wedding at Cana by Gioto, AD 1303-1305

"Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:13-14 KJV

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to St. Alopen’s Church in East Asia, where God has truly worked for our salvation in the midst of our confusion and sin, leading us to deeper love for one another, deeper submission to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit, deeper appreciation for Holy Scripture and the tradition of its interpretation within the Ancient Church, and a new-found revival of holiness, practical faith, and maturity within our Orthodox doctrinal formation. God continues to do an amazing work amongst us, in the Ancient Church, and in the wider Orthodox world, as we see man-made and sinful political situations crumble, false canonical certainty fail, and God working to restore the Church to its ancient foundations of faith – always remembering that truth, that whatever was believed and practiced at the first, is always foundational and true, and that nothing can be added or deleted from the Apostolic Deposit, and nothing can be added to our salvation from that which was passed down to us by the Apostles!

I will say these things to you now in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

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SCRIPTURE READINGS

The Epistle (Romans 12:6-16)

"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate."

The Gospel (John 2:1-11)

"And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him."

An Anonymous Medieval Stained-Glass Depiction of the Feast at Cana

THE SERMON

The Marriage Feast of Cana: A World Transformed by Simple Obedience

The Gospel account of the Marriage at Cana unveils the profound mystery of divine transformation. Here, at a humble wedding, Christ reveals His glory not through thunderous proclamations but through a quiet, miraculous act of obedience. The Blessed Virgin’s words, Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it, set the stage for the extraordinary. Six stone waterpots, symbols of the old covenant, are filled with water and transformed into the finest wine.

St. Irenaeus of Lyons reflects, "The Lord demonstrated His power to transform the temporal into the eternal, showing that His Word can renew all things." In this simple yet profound act, we see the obedience of servants, the faith of Mary, and the glory of Christ converging to manifest the Kingdom of God. As St. Augustine writes, "The water of the old law is turned into the wine of the Gospel, that the hearts of the faithful may be made glad." Here is the promise: when we obey His Word, even in small matters, our ordinary lives are infused with His divine abundance.

A Divine Generosity: The Recreation of the World through the Gifts of Christ

The miracle at Cana is not merely about abundance; it reveals the generous heart of God. The Psalmist proclaims, "Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds." Such mercy transforms not only water into wine but also the brokenness of humanity into the wholeness of redemption. This is the pattern of divine generosity: to take what is base and ordinary and elevate it into the sacred.

St. Cyril of Alexandria observes, "In Cana, Christ foreshadowed the Eucharist, where He gives not wine but His very Blood, a sign of the new creation wrought by His sacrifice." St. Paul echoes this in his letter to the Corinthians: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). The wine of Cana is a foretaste of this eternal feast, a reminder that the gifts of Christ are never sparing but overflowing, inviting us to share in His divine life.

Epiphany’s Light

In the prophecy of Isaiah, we hear the joyous proclamation: "Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God." Epiphany’s light reveals not only Christ’s divinity but also our own transformation. The Church, once forsaken, is now called Hephzibah—"My delight is in her." This new name signals the profound reality of our identity in Christ.

St. John Chrysostom reflects on this truth, saying, "He who transforms water into wine transforms our nature into grace, our poverty into richness, and our mortality into immortality." St. Gregory the Great adds, "The light of Epiphany is the light of revelation, calling all nations to the glory of Christ and the joy of His salvation." Epiphany reminds us that Christ is not merely a distant Savior but the Bridegroom who rejoices over His bride, leading her into the fullness of His light.

The Gifts Differing: The Wine of Our Callings

St. Paul, writing to the Romans, exhorts us to recognize the unique gifts given to each member of the Body of Christ. "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering." Each gift, whether teaching, exhorting, or showing mercy, is like the wine at Cana: poured out to edify and refresh the Church.

St. Basil the Great remarks, "The Spirit distributes His gifts for the common good, that the Church may be built up in unity and love." In 1 Corinthians, Paul reminds us that these gifts are bound together by love: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass." Just as the wine at Cana brought joy to the wedding feast, so our callings, when exercised in love, bring joy and unity to the Church. We are vessels, like the waterpots, waiting to be filled with His Spirit, that we may pour out His grace upon others.

A Poetic Vision of the World Made New

For this, let us turn to the words of Divine, Fr. George Herbert’s “The Banquet,” which reflects on the transforming power of Christ’s presence:

Welcome sweet and sacred cheer,

Welcome dear;

With me, in me, live and dwell:

For thy neatness passeth sight,

Thy delight Passeth tongue to taste or tell.

Fr. Herbert’s lines remind us of the holy banquet prepared by Christ - a banquet that transforms, nourishes, and elevates us beyond our understanding. It is the feast of Cana multiplied a thousandfold, where the abundance of His grace becomes our eternal delight.

A Contemporary Byzantine-Style Icon of the Feast at Cana for Mystical Contemplation

Summary: The Waterpots of Our Lives

As we reflect on the miracle at Cana, let us see ourselves in the waterpots - empty vessels, ready to be filled. St. Paul often compares the Christian believer to a vessel, some made for honor and others for dishonor, some made of gold and silver, while others made of stone and slay. But we are all alike, in that we are all empty and only made for the use and service of our Lord.

"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." (2 Timothy 2:20-21)

"Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" (Romans 9:20-21)

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (2 Corinthians 4:7)

The key to this transformation of our emptiness is simple obedience. Like the servants at the wedding, let us heed His Word and trust in His power. In doing so, we become participants in His divine work, channels of His grace to a thirsty world, full of the abundant water of life, that, as Christ Himself testified, if we taste of by His grace, we will never thirst again (John 4:13-14).

Let us pray:

FINAL COLLECT

Almighty and Most Merciful Father, who by the miracle at Cana didst manifest the glory of Thy Son and the abundance of Thy grace: Grant us, we beseech Thee, so to obey Thy Word, that our lives may be filled with the new wine of Thy Spirit, and our hearts overflow with the joy of Thy Kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen!