A Place at the Table

A few years ago I took a special trip with my friend Tim to the Palestinian city of Cana where I went to the church of the Wedding of Cana. It was a small area in this very populated city. In order to find the church we had to drive down narrow one-way streets until we arrived at our destination with very reasonable souvenir shops surrounding it. There were almost no tourists. I circled around the place and looked at the church and its well-kept gardens. It was very nicely done, but nothing that I would characterize as overwhelming or remarkable. It was beautifully understated. This is so often not the case in the Holy Land where most sacred spots and shrines can even seem a bit gaudy.

The miracle of Cana is traditionally the first miracle of Jesus that begins his ministry. There are many interpretations of the significance of this event, which range from a spat with his mother, to the miraculous power of Jesus, to the symbolism of the wedding occurring on the third day. There is much to draw from the story, and it remains part of the collection of the miracles of Jesus that were recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.


Years later, I made a visit on a member of my parish who, during the course of our conversation, told me that she had a dream about the wedding of Cana and the wine that Jesus had changed from water. She woke from her dream with a thirst that made here want to taste that wine. Then it dawned on her that she had already tasted it, at the altar on Sunday morning. When she related the story, I, too, was enlightened. Blessed and holy wine ready to be tasted… The Eucharist is a celebration of transforming wine that transmits the presence of our Lord. Thank you, Jill - that story will have an even deeper meaning for me. Keep dreaming…