EPIPHANY II - TUESDAY

LESSON: GALATIANS 5:22-25

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

God is not concerned about external matters like a marriage, provided that faith and love remain and, as has been stated, moderation is practiced, as is fitting for every estate. For the marriage at Cana, although it was a poor and lowly affair, still had three tables. This is clear from the mention of the “steward of the feast,” who usually had charge of three tables. The bridegroom did not attend to these but had his servants. They also had wine to drink.

All this could well have been dispensed with on considerations of poverty, as happens also among us. The guests here at Cana, moreover, did not just allay their thirst with the wine, for the steward of the feast remarks that the good wine should be served first and afterwards “when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine.” John 2:10.

Christ lets all this pass, and we should also let it pass and not cause men conscientious scruples on this score. They were not children of the devil, even if some of them exceeded the needs of quenching their thirst and became merry. Otherwise you will have to reckon it as a fault in Christ that He was the cause of this with His gift, and also His mother who requested it. Eventually we will reach the position that both Christ and His mother were sinners here if the saints who can only see what is sour are to judge the matter.

SL.XI.466,8

AE 76, 241

PRAYER: Preserve us from a judgmental spirit, O God, which sees nothing but sin in what our fellowmen are doing, and overlooks the fact that your children are not only permitted to rejoice, but commanded to rejoice in Christ their Savior. Amen.