A sermon for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, January 19, 2025. The scripture readings are Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11, and Psalm 36:5-10.

There’s a wonderful exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum that lasts for one more week. It’s called Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300–1350, and it looks at various ways in which four artists changed the path of painting. Moving from a kind of icon-inspired, set pattern of portraying Biblical scenes, these artists began to experiment, express themselves, and suggest psychological and emotional interaction between characters. Even though the paintings are 700 years old, some of the figures seem alive.

My favorite of the paintings is at the very end of the exhibition. It serves as a kind of exclamation point on the ways in which these painters moved out of static, almost iconographic representation, to something much more active. Painted by Simone Martini in 1342, Martini refers to the story in Luke 2:41-51, “The Finding of Jesus in the Temple.” Luke tells us that every year, Jesus and his parents would visit the temple in Jerusalem. But when Jesus was 12 years old, they visited the temple with a crowd of other pilgrims, but after a day or so of assuming Jesus was with some other relatives, Mary and Joseph had to go back to Jerusalem to find that Jesus had stayed behind and was talking with the temple teachers.

The Simone Martini painting shows no real background—no the temple, teachers, or crowd, but just the three main characters. We see Mary, looking worried and perturbed. Joseph appears to have just pointed out how worried Jesus has made his mother, and Joseph seems to be asking for an explanation. And then at the far right, we see the adolescent Jesus. He stands there with arms crossed, holding a holy book, but with a pout or smirk on his face, looking completely human, just like an ornery teenager who thinks his parents are totally overreacting.

I love this image showing the human side of Jesus, the side that, at 12 years old, can feel like his parents completely misunderstand him. It’s the same very human Jesus who, as a young adult in today’s Gospel, can seem to get frustrated with his mother. At the wedding at Cana, Mary sees a problem. She points it out to Jesus, to do something. “They have no wine.” But Jesus seems to snap at, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” Its as though Jesus is saying, “Mother,” not now.

Mary asks. And then she waits, but I think she waits with expectation, with hope. Jesus eventually responds. Jesus acts, and there’s abundance—answered prayer, Jesus’s first sign or miracle.

The whole purpose of the Incarnation, God’s coming into the world in human form, what we celebrate at Christmas, reminds us of this dual nature of Christ—that Jesus is fully human AND divine. The human qualities remind us that Jesus is like us in some ways. He feels pain. He gets annoyed. He doesn’t always say exactly the right thing. He is approachable. We can have a relationship with him. We can talk to him and listen to him, which is to say, we can pray.

The Gospel of John stands out as a reminder of God’s nearness and willingness to act in our world, but all of the scriptures today show us how the life of faith gives us plenty to do. In the face of natural disasters, in the face of cultural and societal shifts, when we’re worried, or afraid, or not sure what to do, we are encouraged to pray, to wait wit expectation, and expect abundance from God.  

In our first reading, the prophet Isaiah promises to restore and vindicate God’s people. Just as Isaiah sought God’s intervention on behalf of Jerusalem, we are called to fervently pray and seek the Lord’s help in all circumstances.

In our second reading, Paul speaks of spiritual gifts and the diversity within the body of Christ in his Letter to the Corinthians. He emphasizes that the same Spirit gives different gifts to believers for the common good. This passage reminds us of the importance of waiting on the Lord. Paul writes, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them” (1 Corinthians 12:4). We are reminded that each of us has been uniquely gifted by God, and the task is for us to wait on God’s timing in using those gifts for God’s glory.  

Looking again at the Gospel of John, we’re brought to the wedding in Cana where Jesus performs his first public miracle by turning water into wine. This passage is full of Jesus’ abundance and provision. The host of the banquet marvels at the quality of the wine, recognizing the abundance and excellence provided by Jesus. This miracle teaches us to expect abundance from the Lord. Just as Jesus provided lavishly at the wedding feast, he is able to abundantly provide for our needs and desires.

And so, we have these three key points that emerge from the Scriptures:

First, we’re invited to pray. Not just sit in a problem. Not just assume we have to fix it ourselves and have no one to turn to. We are called to emulate Isaiah’s persistence in prayer, lifting our concerns and desires to the Lord with faith and trust. Just as Isaiah did not remain silent in seeking God’s intervention, we too should come before the Lord in prayer, knowing that God hears and answers our cries.

Second, we have to wait but wait with expectation and with hope. Like the Corinthians, we are reminded to wait on God’s timing. God has given each of us unique gifts and purposes, and we must trust in His perfect timing for their fulfillment.  

Tomorrow, there is, of course the inauguration, and there’s whatever drama unfolds around the TikTok application. But it’s also the day for remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. and for allowing his life to inspire and challenge us, maybe to wake us up, and get us going.

Among the many writings and recordings of King, I’ve been drawn to a draft of a work he wrote n 1962 or 1963. He preached sermons from it and probably meant to compile a book. But in this sermon, Martin Luther King, Jr. talks about when dreams are shattered. He outlines the various responses we tend to have when we’re disappointed, when things don’t work out, or when we feel like a dream has been shattered. King notices that some people simply turn to bitterness and resentment, which doesn’t get them very far. Others withdraw. Some resort to fatalism, as if everything is foreordained and inescapable.

King then, asks,

“What, then, is the answer? We must accept our unwanted and unfortunate circumstances and yet cling to a radiant hope. The answer lies in developing the capacity to accept the finite disappointment and yet cling to the infinite hope.” (Draft of Chapter X, “Shattered Dreams”, 1962-1963, King Institute, Stanford U.)

Acceptance with hope. Acceptance with faith. Acceptance with expectation.

And that leads us to the third point, to expect, to get ready, to prepare and stay awake. The miracle at the wedding in Cana teaches us to expect abundance from our Lord. Jesus’ provision is rich and plentiful, surpassing our expectations. We are encouraged to trust in his abundance and to believe that God will always take care of us, and always work for good in the long run.

We can continue to learn from Martin Luther King Jr., who rooted his life of social and political action with an ongoing relationship with Jesus—a Jesus who is fully human and fully divine. As we seek faith, strength, and direction for the coming days, may we draw closer to Jesus Christ through prayer, waiting with hope, and expecting abundance.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.