The 180-gallon miracle - January 16, 2026

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 16, 17; PM Psalm 22; Gen. 6:1-8; Heb. 3:12-19; John 2:1-12

“[Jesus’] mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When 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)…” (John 2:5-9a)

We used to have a barrel at the base of one of our gutters in Texas. It could hold about 30 gallons of rainwater. There was a spigot on the bottom to attach a hose for watering plants. How handy that was! A heavy rain could fill the barrel quickly, but other times it was hard to fill – especially in a dry summer season. I imagine how much attention I would have attracted from passersby (or those inside my house) if I had walked back and forth to the sink with my gallon-sized pitcher to fill the receptacle. And once it was filled, surely I could not transport it much further than a scoot to the left or right. Each gallon of water weighs around 8.3 pounds, making a rain barrel weigh at least 250 pounds at maximum capacity!

That gets me thinking about today’s gospel from John. At his mother’s behest, Jesus tells the staff at the wedding to fill up the six large stone jars with fresh water. (They had already been emptied for the wedding guests to wash their hands before the meal.) Carrying a 30-gallon vat to a water source and back is no small feat…and since the steward is not involved in this behind-the-scenes fix to the wine outage, I wonder how much attention the servants garner in this effort? How long does it take them? Do they use pitchers? Do they enlist additional helpers – including Jesus? And once the transformation has happened and people are enjoying the tasty first miracle of the Son of God, is Jesus still mingling at the party? Does he let on that he knows the genesis of the good wine? I can imagine Mary chuckling with satisfaction as the guests thank the bride and groom for their hospitality at the amazing party.

Jesus’ first miracle up in Cana of Galilee brought joy, and it brought protection to a family, sparing them from embarrassment. That miraculous gift did not happen easily. Human hands were involved. And, knowing what I know about how churches work, there was probably a good bit of scrambling to pull it together. In the end, God’s goodness overflowed and it was beautiful.

I often write and speak about how ministry is a team sport. In the work of faithfulness, we need God and we need one another. Let’s be a good team. Let's listen and respond as God is calling us to collaborate. Let’s offer our selves, our souls, and bodies to build up the Kingdom of our Lord. And, let’s invite others to help – not for the glory of being seen, but to reveal the glory of God.

With God’s help,

Katherine+

Reflection and Challenge

 What is a space of transformation or hopefulness for you? Spend a few moments praying about that. Journal about how you experience God’s goodness in that space. Make note of others who are helpers along the way.

Pray in gratitude for what has been, what is now, and what is to come.