The Wedding At Cana

The Wedding at Cana

There was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” . . . Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. . . . This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory.

John 2:1-3, 7-8, 11

Preparing for the wedding has been compared to readying for a trip into the wild unknown. The wedding dress and bride’s trousseau, according to some, need to be as carefully set as a compass pointed toward new territory. As Dr. Mary Roberts wrote in her 1912 book Why Women Are So, “A trousseau was as essential to the prospective bride as an outfit to the explorer of arctic or tropical wilds. . . . Who knows what might be needed and yet unattainable in the great adventure upon which she was about to embark!”

To prepare the trousseau, a prospective bride spent the final days of her engagement stitching linens and clothing. She sewed and shopped, packed and cleaned, sewed and packed some more. There was no time to spare. The process became her transition into wifehood, and she certainly wanted to come out of it looking her absolute best.

A century later, some of us may think that modern women have moved beyond that. Clearly, we’ve become more cultured through careers and education. But the wedding dress and ceremony are still a big deal. The millions of dollars spent annually on mere magazines about weddings can attest to that fact.^a

In the above passage from John 2, Jesus is at a wedding in Cana for a family whom he and his mother probably knew. His disciples were included in the invitation. What is interesting to note, many commentators say, is that the miracle he performed at this wedding was actually for his disciples. Few besides them saw it. The miracle signaled the unveiling of his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him (see verse 11). As you look back at your own wedding, is there a sign of Jesus’ presence and glory that you recall?

If you’re like most other couples married in this country, your wedding represents many hours, days, and even months of intense preparation of things roughly equivalent to the old trousseau. In the midst of preparing for that special ceremony put on for others to see, were you able to see the miracle that God was performing in your own life? Does your marriage now give testimony to God?

There is something about a wedding gown prettier than in any other gown in –the world.

—Douglas Jerrold

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