Commentary

I. Theme – Celebration of God’s glory

Wedding at Cana – Giotto (1305-1306)

The lectionary readings are here  or individually: 

Old Testament – Isaiah 62:1-5
Psalm – Psalm 36:5-10
Epistle – 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Gospel – John 2:1-11     

Today’s readings speak of the revelation of hidden glory breaking through and inviting celebration.

Isaiah announces the coming glory of God’s vindicated people when they return to rebuild their shattered homeland. Isaiah reminds us that God delights in us with the joy of a bride and bridegroom discovering each other. This affirmation encourages us to love the mystery we are, accepting the chips, the cracks and the unfinished nature of our cup. Knowing that the cup of our life is held securely in God’s hands enables us to endure the tension of filling and emptying that goes on throughout a lifetime.

Paul describes the amazing results of spiritual gifts, given to all God’s people “for the common good.” The letter to Corinthians praises another kind of container for the ordinary. While we may look like unpromising vessels or unlikely disciples, the Spirit transforms us just as surely as Jesus changed the water to wine. Furthermore, the Spirit blesses a wide variety of ministries, so that no two goblets will ever be identical.

The Gospel is the story of the wedding feast at Cana, relates the first “sign” of Jesus’ identity and ministry that “revealed his glory.” The passage from John’s gospel speaks of huge stone jars holding 20–30 gallons of water. Jesus makes use of them for his first miracle, teaching that our journey to the sacred comes through the ordinary. It is fitting to remember the sign he performed at Cana as we move away from the high feast days of Christmas and Epiphany and into Ordinary Time.

Within everyday water, we can still glimpse the burgundy of grace. John tells us that the Word becomes flesh—a human being who likes to socialize, relishes a feast and presumably appreciates a fine vintage.

We celebrate and honor the memory and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on this Sunday. We remember that Dr. King did not bow down to the voices that wanted to silence him, nor did he hide with the threat of death.

We remember Dr. King’s dream. We celebrate our diversity, that we need each other to be part of the kingdom, the reign of God. We celebrate the diversity of our gifts, our cultures, our languages, our abilities, our very selves—for God has created us all. And God has chosen to participate in our lives through Jesus the Christ, to see our need to love our neighbor as ourselves, and in that love, to seek justice, God’s justice, which restores and heals. For God is not passive, standing by, but God is active in our world. Through the examples of Jesus, we know that God works in us for justice, for reconciliation, and for peace.  

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Big Picture

“This week celebrates Jesus turning water into wine during the Wedding at Cana — one of three traditional focal points for Epiphany through which Jesus’ identity “shows forth” (the other two being the visit of the Magi and Jesus’ baptism, the Gospel readings for Epiphany and last Sunday, respectively) The Scripture is John 2:1-11.

“John organizes the Gospel around seven astounding “signs” that reveal Jesus’ identity and mission. The turning of water into wine is the first of these signs — and like many “firsts” in art and life, it sets the tone for what follows, introducing the major themes to come. John’s name for these events — “signs” — is a clue to their purpose: they’re supposed to catch our attention (even catch our breath!), drawing us toward what for John is the whole point: life with and in God. But amazement doesn’t always work that way. It’s only too easy to get caught up in the miraculous and miss the larger purpose.

“And as it turns out, this tension is a running theme throughout John’s Gospel. Jesus repeatedly scolds the crowds (and his disciples) for focusing too much on signs, urging them to move on to higher, more important matters. Just a few pages later, in the scene featuring the second sign, Jesus is exasperated: “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe” (John 4:48). Later, he calls on those around him to take another step: Don’t fixate on how I fed five thousand with a few loaves, he says. Shift your understanding into a higher gear, and see how I’m offering you the bread of life itself — indeed, see how I am that bread! (John 6:26-35). This tension between dazzling signs and genuine belief persists in John’s Gospel until the very end, culminating in the risen Jesus’ encounter with Thomas: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (John 20:29).

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1. David Lose

“Each of the four gospels starts with some kind of introduction, an encounter with John the Baptist, and then some form of a calling of the first disciples. And then each marks the move to Jesus’ ministry by describing a particular event.

“In Mark, the first thing Jesus does is cast out an unclean spirit, announcing his intention to stand against all that would keep the children of God from abundant life. In Matthew, the first major event of Jesus’ public ministry is his sermon on the mount, where he teaches the crowds from the mountain and comes across as one like Moses who brought down from the mountain. In Luke, Jesus first preaches, announcing his intention to heal and feed and release the captives and bring good news to the poor. First things matter.

“Here, in John, the first thing Jesus does is go to a wedding.

“How different from the other three. No healing, no preaching, no teaching. Just a wedding.

“More than that, Jesus doesn’t only attend the wedding, but he saves the day, turning water into wine when the wine had run out. Why?

“Perhaps the key is a line from John’s Prologue, the profound and poetic introduction to his telling of Jesus’ story. There John writes, “From his fullness, we have all received grace upon grace” (1:16). Not just grace, mind you, but grace upon grace. An abundance of grace in other words.

“And that’s the case here, as well. To run out of wine at a first century wedding would not have been just embarrassing, but disastrous. Wine was associated with blessing, joy, goodness, and more. To run out of wine would have felt like a curse, like you’d run out of blessing. And Jesus doesn’t just offer enough wine to cover the balance, but turns six huge washing basins of water into wine, providing more wine – and blessing – than they could have possibly consumed. More than that, and as the steward acknowledges, it’s the best wine they’ve had.

“Jesus, that is, creates abundance. Wine upon wine, blessing upon blessing, joy upon joy, and grace upon grace.”

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"St. Peter"- Peter P. Rubens

This is not a confession of the church but relates to Peter, the Apostler !

Jesus went to the predominately pagan region of Caesarea Philipp. Here is the Mark reading (Mark 8:27-30) ” Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.” Peter nailed it at this time

Jan 18 is the day appointed for this event. The collect – "Almighty Father, who inspired Simon Peter, first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as Messiah and Son of the living God: Keep your Church steadfast upon the rock of this faith, so that in unity and peace we may proclaim the one truth and follow the one Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. "

Caesarea Philippi

Video on Peter’s Confession

The first 5 minutes are the most important. You are there at the same place where the confession occurred.

Transcript of the key moment

“Jesus has come to this center for pagan worship.( Caesarea Philippi in Israel). Everything here would be abhorrent to a conservative jew, like Peter. The deities of the pagan world were more active, and more powerful in certain locations than others, and this surreal-looking place, to them, was a place where you could expect deities to be active. what you’re standing on here would be full of worshipers… of the deity, pan, whose statue is going to be tucked in here. In fact, Eusebius, the church historian, says this cave was the entrance to hades. Many people made the trek here to worship the Greek god, Pan. Pan was half human, with the hind legs and the horns of a goat. His powers were said to rule over nature, and especially fertility. the words “panic” and “pandemonium” have their origins in the myths surrounding pan. The religious expression of pan’s worshipers played out in acts of raw lust and hedonism. The scene to be deeply disturbing to Peter – every norm of observant Judaism would be violated. A high point for Peter’s discipleship of Jesus occurs here. You know Jesus begins by asking them, “who do people say that i am?” some of the disciples say, “you’re a prophet, “some say you’re Elijah.” And Peter finally nails it, “you are the Christ, the messiah, the son of god, “fulfillment of messianic promises.” And that’s a huge moment, and Jesus, in effect, says, “you got it.”

“When Jesus asked the disciples, “who do people say that i am?” and he starts to hear answers that fit the sea of galilee context, he says, “but what about you?” and Peter’s right there. He’s going, “oh, i get it. “You want us to put the question in the right context. “You are the Christ,” and then he adds, “the son of the living god. in contrast to everything “that’s claiming authenticity here, you’re the real deal.” Jesus affirms what Peter said, and this is also a very significant statement. He says, “this has been revealed to you “by my heavenly father,” and then he says, “you are Peter,” and remembering that Peter means rock, “and on this rock i will build my church.” and this is an extraordinary moment for Peter.”

Traditionally the week of prayer is celebrated between 18-25 January, between the feasts of St Peter and St Paul.

Check out the event website. The guiding biblical text for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 comes from John 11:17-27. The theme for the week, “Do you believe this?” (v. 26), takes its cue from the dialogue between Jesus and Martha when Jesus visited the home of Martha and Mary in Bethany following the death of their brother Lazarus.

At least once a year, Christians are reminded of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples that “they may be one so that the world may believe” (see John 17.21). Hearts are touched and Christians come together to pray for their unity. Congregations and parishes all over the world exchange preachers or arrange special ecumenical celebrations and prayer services. The event that touches off this special experience is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

For this year, 2025, the prayers and reflections for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity were prepared by the brothers and sisters of the monastic community of Bose in northern Italy. This year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the first Christian Ecumenical Council, held in Nicaea, near Constantinople in 325 AD. This commemoration provides a unique opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the common faith of Christians, as expressed in the Creed formulated during this Council; a faith that remains alive and fruitful in our days. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 offers an invitation to draw on this shared heritage and to enter more deeply into the faith that unites all Christians.

I. Theme – Participating in Jesus’ Baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit

Baptism of Christ – Fra Angelico (1400-1455)

The lectionary readings are here  or individually:

Old Testament – Isaiah 43:1-7 Psalm – Psalm 29 Epistle – Acts 8:14-17 Gospel – Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

The first Sunday in Epiphany is traditionally about Jesus’ baptism. However, this year, the focus is less on Jesus, and more on how God’s people are invited to participate in the baptism and to receive God’s Spirit.

Isaiah suggests that God chooses and gathers us to bring compassion and justice to a suffering world In the Psalm, God’s voice is celebrated, which shakes the earth, but which also – by implication in the Psalm – strengthens and brings peace to God’s people, even as God’s voice affirmed Jesus. In Acts, we witness Peter and John spreading the good news of Jesus Christ beyond their comfortable social and ethnic borders. In today’s gospel, Jesus is baptized, and we are invited to acknowledge him as God’s “Son, the Beloved.” It is significant that Jesus begins his public life with baptism. Not only is he baptized, he also hears the assurance of the Holy Spirit. A voice proclaims him God’s beloved, empowering him and sending him to the blind, the lame and the prisoners awaiting his good news.

We read about baptism year after year because God is still at work in the world, and still invites us to participate in God’s saving and liberating work. But, to do this, we, like Jesus, will need to be strengthened and empowered. We will need to be baptised in the Holy Spirit. We surrender our usual sense of control, because we must sacrifice what we are for what we might become.

This Sunday provides an opportunity for people not only to reflect on their own experiences of baptism (as participants and/or observers), but to wonder together about Jesus’ baptism.

Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell writes of the symbolism of the waters in the passages

” The waters were a symbol of trial and tribulation, a boundary to be crossed, perhaps the Red Sea or the Jordan River in ancient times. For the people who had been exiled, the waters may have symbolized the entire time of exile—a turbulent time in which all they knew had been taken from them. For Christians, we seem the waters of baptism as a symbol of those trials and troubles, a symbol of death itself, and we come out on the other side, with the gift of new life, the hope of resurrection, everlasting life in Christ. We commemorate the baptism of Jesus today, reminded that we all have the gift of new life, of starting again with God, of renewing our commitments and reorienting our lives to God. The same God whose voice called out over the waters, who called down from above over the waters of Jesus’ baptism, is the same voice that calls us Beloved, and calls us into the promise of new life”

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The Season after the Epiphany – Epiphany is all about establishing the identity of Jesus. Now that he has been born who is he ?   Epiphany continues to define who Jesus is – healer, preacher and the Messiah, the last one comes early in Epiphany and continues.

Epiphany refers to the appearance of Jesus Christ as the savior of the world—of Israel and the Gentiles.  For this reason, Epiphany is commonly associated with the visitation of the Magi (or “wise men”), who were almost certainly Gentiles, in Matthew 2:1–12.

We focus on the mission of the church to reach all the peoples of the earth with the great gift of God’s grace in revealing healing truth and light to the world.”

It is very much present oriented. The main idea of Epiphany is that Christ is the light of the world that came at Christmas and now beckons us to travel with Him ths year. The story of the Epiphany is about discovery—following a star to the source of salvation.Epiphany is filled with unexpected revelations that change our minds and ways – we have to be willing to experience them.

Epiphany is our jumping off spot. From the Eucharistic Prayer – “With each new day, you call us to feed the hungry, bring recovery of sight to the blind, liberate the oppressed, heal the broken hearted and bind up their wounds, and keep watch for the dawn of your reign on this earth. ”

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“Go forth and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit….and remember I am with you always.” – Matthew 28:19-20

Baptism is…..welcoming into the community of faith & the Body of Christ.

Baptism is…..belonging to God as “Christ’s own forever.”

Baptism is….washing of our sins and renewing our life in faith.

Baptism is…..a holy sacrament, an outward sign of God’s inward grace.

Baptism is…..a gift of God’s grace through the Holy Spirit.

“Why baptize? God has no need of our baptism. But we do. We need to hear; we need to know. Whether emerging from the waters of the womb or the waters of a river, we need to hear again that we are beloved.” – JoAnn A. Post in the Christian Century

Michael Curry – From Crazy Christians A Call to Follow Jesus

“We come to the mountain, then, and experience a deepened and revived relationship with God and with each other.”

“You will notice this three-fold pattern in how Jesus forms his disciples and sends them out. First he invites his disciples to come. “Come and see,” he says, “Follow me” (John 1:39; Mark 1:17). Jesus beckons his disciples to him in order to enter into a deepened relationship, through him, with God and each other in community. That is what baptism is about, a deepened relationship with God and each other in Christ.”

“If you look at the words of the Great Commission, you’ll see this is precisely how Jesus forms his disciples. After the resurrection, Jesus takes the disciples to a mountain. He tells them: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). We form disciples through baptism and teaching so they might come into a deepened, transforming relationship with God and each other, as we learn and live the gospel of Jesus.”

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The Setting for Sunday

We have just celebrated the birth of Christ and will experience his death and resurrection on Easter. However, one key event we should put in the same category is Jesus’ baptism.  We have various  weeks set aside for baptisms – first Sunday after Epiphany (Baptism of Jesus), Easter, Pentecost,Feast of the Transfiguration (Sunday nearest Aug. 6), All Saints Sunday, whenever the Bishop visits) .  Whether we have a baptism or now, we usually include the section in the prayer book for the renewal of the Baptismal Covenant in the service. In the past we have also “sprinkled” people.

From the SALT Project – “Jesus’ baptism is Mark’s Christmas story, so to speak, the moment when Jesus is reborn through the waters of baptism as God’s Child, God’s Beloved. In that sense, Mark and his community likely thought of Jesus as miraculously adopted, as opposed to miraculously conceived (as in Matthew and Luke) or miraculously present as God’s only begotten since “the beginning” of creation (as in John).”

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I.Theme –  God/Christ as Redeemer and Revealer 

Guido of Siena,13th Century Italian

The lectionary readings are here 

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Psalm 84

Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a

Luke 2:41-52

Matthew 2:13-15,19-23

The details of the Gospel story, the flight into Egypt, makes it easy to forget the intent of it that shows God in control and not Herod or his son, even though it looks that way on the face of it with Joseph’s family side stepping the political moves of the day and winning out. God is leading us and with us even when events do not go our way.  We are not alone.  We have to look at the bigger picture, often difficult to see while we are going through life. 

This is a realistic story with our current world situation – the numbers of babies killed in Syria and the migrations away from that worn-torn land to Turkey and Lebanon. 

In Ephesians God has revealed his will in the sending of Christ, and he seeks to "gather up all things" in both heaven and earth in Christ. Christ is therefore both the Redeemer and the Revealer through the Holy Spirit. God’s accomplishing all things according to his will in Christ’s resurrection and reign. 

The idea of redeemer and revealer is present in the Old Testament reading of Jeremiah. The people deported from Jerusalem in Babylonia will return. There are images of redemption – God’s love and faithfulness to promises made remain intact through Israel’s infidelity and consequent judgment. God rescues this and builds a new life out of the rubble. There are images of revelation and promise – those who lived on the outside of society will not live that way. The hope is those who have suffered.

This psalm praises God as the longed-for goal of the pilgrim. The “dwelling” of God is the Temple (and perhaps also the land of Israel). To live in the Temple is greatly to be desired: those who live there have security and happiness, even the birds (v. 3) who nest in the Temple area. Making a pilgrimage to the Temple offers these hopes. 

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