THIRTY WOMEN BEATEN AND RAPED IN CONGO ATTACK
This blog provides a meditation of the Revised Common Lectionary readings along with a headline from world news
John 2:1-11
The Wedding at Cana
2On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ 4And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ 5His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ 6Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. 8He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. 9When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ 11Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Revelation 2:1-7
The Message to Ephesus
2‘To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
2 ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false. 3I also know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of my name, and that you have not grown weary. 4But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6Yet this is to your credit: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.

Whatever happened at Cana, the gospel writer has refashioned it to tell a subtle story about the advent of the Messiah, the bridegroom of Israel. In the midst of a village wedding, Jesus gives the sign of the transformation of Jewish religion into its fulfilment. The water of Judaism becomes the wine of the Messiah, because the people’s bridegroom is present and the all the good which has been kept for the last is now available. The story presupposes the longing which the people have for their Messiah-Bridegroom and the love with which they will greet him. There is irony here because of course the people reject him, refusing him the love which is only given by his disciples. The Bridegroom image lies behind the story of the woman at the well, as well as occurring openly in the book of Revelation. It has furnished the church with a language of love between Christ and the church, Christ and the individual soul. This love is an essential part of faith, often lost in the seriousness of discipleship or the complexity of theology.

Who holds the seven stars...

The Ephesians were apparently doing all right as regards discipleship and theology but are reproached, in the “letters to the seven churches of Asia” (Revelation 1-3) for the loss of their first love of Christ. All their “works” flow from this love which is needed so that they can maintain their position as a place of true worship (lamp-stand). Love of Jesus Christ is not a major element in the culture of the Church of Scotland at present, but it has become more and more important to me over the years.
Can the love of Jesus make a difference to the people who attacked a Congolese village and raped its women? I want to say yes. I want to say that hearts of stone can be changed by such love. But even when it does not conquer, the intimacy of faithful love stands as the revelation of God’s heart.