wedding at Cana

The Jesus Tree–Day Five

The reading today came from John 2:1-12, in which Jesus performed His first miracle–turning water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana. This has always been an interesting story to me, because of Mary’s actions. She complains to her Son, and then when He chastises her, she goes to the servants anyway, and tells them to do whatever Jesus says. That’s a mother for you–complete faith in her Son, and ready to brag about Him to anyone who will listen. Plus, it probably made her look really good to play the whole “My Son is the Son of God,” card! So, not only do we see Jesus as God as He does this miracle, we also see how very human His mother is.

Hymn of the Day–“Songs of Thankfulness and Praise”

Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to Thee we raise,
Manifested by the star
To the sages from afar,
Branch of royal David’s stem
In Thy birth at Bethlehem:
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

Manifest at Jordan’s stream,
Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;
And at Cana wedding guest
In Thy Godhead manifest;
Manifest in pow’r divine,
Changing water into wine;
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

Manifest in making whole
Palsied limbs and fainting soul;
Manifest in valiant flight,
Quelling all the devil’s might;
Manifest in gracious will,
Ever bringing good from ill;
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

Sun and moon shall darkened be,
Stars shall fall, the heav’ns shall flee;
Christ will then like lightning shine,
All will see His glorious sign;
All will then the trumpet hear,
All will see the Judge appear;
Thou by all wilt be confessed,
God in man made manifest.

Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord,
Present in Thy holy Word–
Grace to imitate Thee now
And be pure, as pure art Thou;
That we might become like Thee
At Thy great epiphany
And may praise Thee, ever blest,
God in man made manifest. Lutheran Service Book # 394