From Water to Wine, From Grace to Service

The Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary

Brothers and sisters, imagine for a moment that you're attending a wedding celebration in the small village of Cana in Galilee. The air is filled with laughter, music, and the joyful sounds of family and friends gathered together. It's a celebration that would last for days, as was the custom in those times. But then, disaster strikes—a social catastrophe that would bring shame upon the bride and groom's families. They've run out of wine.

In that culture, running out of wine at a wedding wasn't just an inconvenience—it was a humiliation. It suggested poor planning, inadequate hospitality, and would mark this young couple's beginning with embarrassment. But in this moment of crisis, something extraordinary is about to happen.

The water to wine story that we read about in the gospels is the first sign, the first miracle that Jesus performed in His earthly ministry. And what does He choose to do? He doesn't heal the sick, He doesn't cast out demons, He doesn't preach to the multitudes. Instead, He transforms ordinary water into extraordinary wine at a wedding celebration. Why? Because this miracle reveals something profound about the nature of God's grace and how that grace transforms us for service to others.

Today, on this Second Sunday after Epiphany, we're going to explore how God's transforming grace—the same grace that turned water into wine—empowers us to serve one another with the gifts He has given us. We'll see how the ordinary vessels of our lives, when filled with God's grace, become instruments of His extraordinary work in the world.

The Nature of Transforming Grace

Let's look more closely at what this miracle at Cana reveals about the nature of God's transforming grace. There are three characteristics I want us to notice.

First, God's grace is abundant. The Scripture tells us there were six stone water jars, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Do the math with me—that's somewhere between 120 and 180 gallons of wine! Now, I don't know how many weddings you've been to, but that's an enormous amount. Jesus didn't just provide enough wine to get them through the evening. He provided an abundance, a superabundance. This wasn't a stingy miracle. This wasn't God saying, "Well, I'll give you just enough to scrape by." No, this was lavish provision.

And isn't that just like our God? When He gives grace, He doesn't measure it out in teaspoons. The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians about "the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us." God's grace isn't rationed; it's poured out abundantly. When He transforms our lives, He doesn't do it halfway. He fills us to the brim, just like those water jars.

Second, God's grace is of the highest quality. Notice what the master of the feast said: "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now." The wine that Jesus created wasn't just adequate—it was the best wine anyone at that wedding had tasted. It exceeded expectations. It surpassed what was customary.

This tells us something important about God's grace in our lives. When God transforms us, He doesn't give us second-rate gifts or half-hearted blessings. He gives us His very best. The grace He offers isn't inferior to anything the world can provide—it's superior in every way. The transformation He works in us isn't a cheap imitation of the real thing; it is the real thing, the genuine article, the finest quality.

Third, and this is crucial for our theme today, God's grace serves a communal need. Jesus didn't perform this miracle for His own benefit. He didn't turn water into wine so He could enjoy a private celebration. This miracle served the community—it saved the bride and groom from embarrassment, it allowed the celebration to continue, it brought joy to all the guests. The grace of God, manifested in this sign, was directed outward toward others.

And here's where we begin to see the connection to our second reading today. God's grace in our lives isn't just for our personal enjoyment or private spiritual experience. Yes, grace transforms us personally. But that personal transformation has a purpose beyond ourselves. We are transformed so that we can serve. We receive grace so that we can become channels of grace to others.

Think about those stone water jars for a moment. They were ordinary vessels, used for ceremonial washing. They had a purpose, but it was routine, mundane. Yet when they were filled at Jesus' command, they became containers of something extraordinary. They became instruments of joy, blessing, and celebration for an entire community.

Brothers and sisters, that's what God's transforming grace does in our lives. We are like those stone jars—ordinary, common, perhaps feeling quite unremarkable. But when we're filled with God's grace, when we allow Him to work His transformation in us, we become vessels of His extraordinary blessing to the world around us. The same grace that saved us equips us to serve others.

Grace Gifts Us for Service

This brings us to our reading from Romans chapter 12. Let me read verses 6 through 8: "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."

Notice the very first phrase: "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us." Paul is crystal clear here—our spiritual gifts are not achievements we've earned or talents we've developed on our own. They are gifts that differ "according to the grace given to us." Grace is the source. Grace is the foundation. Everything we have to offer in service to God and to one another flows from His unmerited favor toward us.

In the Catholic tradition, we understand that grace—God's own life shared with us—is what enables us to participate in His divine work. We don't serve in our own strength or by our own merit. We serve because we have been graced, gifted, empowered by God Himself.

Paul lists several gifts here, and I want us to notice something important: these aren't flashy, spectacular gifts. They're practical, everyday ways of serving. Prophecy—speaking God's truth. Service—meeting practical needs. Teaching—helping others understand God's Word. Exhortation—encouraging and building up. Contributing—giving generously. Leading—guiding with diligence. Showing mercy—caring for those who suffer.

These are the ordinary water jars of Christian service. They might not seem spectacular, but when filled with God's grace, they become instruments of His extraordinary work in the world.

Let me ask you a question: What gift has God given you? Maybe you're thinking, "Father Francis, I don't have any special gifts." But that's not what Scripture says. Paul says we have "gifts that differ according to the grace given to us." If you've received God's grace—and if you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you have—then you've been gifted for service.

Maybe your gift is service itself—you see needs and you meet them. You're the person who shows up with a meal when someone is sick, who offers to help with repairs, who volunteers for the tasks that others overlook. That's not a small thing—that's a grace-gift from God.

Maybe your gift is teaching. You have the ability to take God's Word and make it clear to others. You help people understand truth. You might teach a Catechism class, or mentor a younger believer, or simply have conversations that help others grow in their faith.

Maybe your gift is exhortation—encouragement. You have the ability to speak words that build people up, that give them courage to keep going, that remind them of God's faithfulness when they're discouraged. In a world full of criticism and negativity, what a precious gift that is!

Maybe your gift is contributing—generosity. God has blessed you materially, and you have a heart to share those blessings with others. You give cheerfully, sacrificially, seeing your resources as tools for God's kingdom work.

Maybe your gift is leadership. You have the ability to organize, to guide, to help a group of people work together toward a common goal. You lead with diligence, with zeal, not for your own glory but for the good of the community.

Maybe your gift is showing mercy. You have a special compassion for those who are suffering, hurting, marginalized. You don't just feel sorry for them—you act. You visit the sick, comfort the grieving, care for the lonely.

Here's the key point: every single one of these gifts flows from grace and is meant for service. Paul doesn't say, "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us admire them, or display them, or feel proud of them." No! He says, "Let us use them." Use them in prophecy, use them in service, use them in teaching, use them in exhortation, use them in giving, use them in leading, use them in showing mercy.

The grace that transforms water into wine is the same grace that transforms our ordinary abilities into extraordinary service. We don't serve to earn God's favor—we already have that through Christ. We serve because we've been graced, and grace by its very nature flows outward to others.

Think again about that wedding at Cana. The servants didn't create the wine. They simply filled the jars with water and drew it out when Jesus commanded. The transformation was God's work. But the service—the filling, the drawing, the serving—that was their part. They cooperated with God's grace, and the result was a miracle that blessed an entire community.

That's our calling, brothers and sisters. We bring our ordinary offerings—our time, our talents, our resources, our very selves—and we offer them in service. God does the transforming work. He takes our water and makes it wine. He takes our humble service and uses it for His glorious purposes.

The Posture of Grace-Empowered Service

But Paul doesn't stop with listing the gifts. He goes on to describe the attitudes and posture that should characterize our grace-empowered service. Let me read verses 9 through 16: "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight."

This is a rapid-fire list of practical instructions, and every single one of them describes what grace-empowered service looks like in daily life. Let's look at a few of these.

"Let love be genuine." The Greek word here means "without hypocrisy." Our service must flow from real love, not from a desire to be seen or praised or to fulfill an obligation. When we serve because we've been transformed by God's grace, our love is authentic. We're not putting on a show; we're expressing the reality of what God has done in our hearts.

I've seen both kinds of service in the church. I've seen people serve with genuine love—they don't care who notices, they don't keep score, they simply love and give because they've been loved and given to by God. And I've seen people serve with ulterior motives—they want recognition, they want to be thought well of, they're keeping track of what they've done. Brothers and sisters, grace-empowered service is the first kind. It's genuine, authentic, flowing from a heart that has been transformed by God's love.

"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." This is beautiful. Paul isn't saying we should compete to see who can be the most spiritual or who can have the most impressive ministry. He's saying we should compete to see who can honor others the most! Imagine a church where everyone is trying to outdo everyone else in showing honor, in building each other up, in recognizing and celebrating the gifts and service of others. That's what grace-empowered service looks like.

"Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord." Grace doesn't make us lazy. It energizes us! When we truly understand what God has done for us, when we grasp the magnitude of His grace, it creates a zeal, a fervor, an enthusiasm for serving Him. We don't serve grudgingly or out of mere duty. We serve with passion because we're overwhelmed by what He's done for us.

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." This is empathy, compassion, genuine care for others. Grace-empowered service isn't just about doing tasks; it's about entering into the lives of others, sharing their joys and their sorrows. It's about being present with people in their celebrations and their struggles.

I think about the times in my own life when people have truly rejoiced with me—when they've celebrated my victories as if they were their own. And I think about the times when people have wept with me—when they've sat with me in my pain, not trying to fix it or explain it away, but simply being present. That's grace-empowered service. It's not always about doing something; sometimes it's about being with someone.

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight." Here Paul addresses the attitudes that can poison our service. Pride, arrogance, thinking we're better than others—these are incompatible with grace-empowered service. Why? Because grace, by definition, is something we don't deserve. If we've truly grasped that we're saved by grace alone, we can't look down on anyone. We can't think we're superior. We recognize that we're all beggars telling other beggars where to find bread.

The posture of grace-empowered service is humility. It's the willingness to associate with the lowly, to serve those who can't repay us, to give without expecting recognition. It's the opposite of the world's way, which says to climb the ladder, to network with the influential, to make sure you're getting something in return for what you give.

Brothers and sisters, these aren't burdensome duties that God is laying on us. These are the natural overflow of hearts that have been transformed by grace. When we truly understand what God has done for us in Christ—when we grasp that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us—it changes everything. It changes how we view others. It changes how we use our gifts. It changes our entire approach to service.

We don't serve to earn God's love; we serve because we've already received it. We don't give to others to put them in our debt; we give because we're in debt to God's grace. We don't honor others to gain honor for ourselves; we honor others because we've been honored by being called children of God.

Mary's Model: "Do Whatever He Tells You"

Let's return now to the wedding at Cana, because there's a crucial detail I want us to notice. When Mary tells Jesus about the wine running out, His initial response seems reluctant: "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." But Mary doesn't argue with Him. She doesn't try to convince Him or manipulate Him. Instead, she turns to the servants and gives them this simple instruction: "Do whatever he tells you."

In the Catholic tradition, we honor Mary as the Mother of God and as our mother in faith. And here we see why she's such a powerful example for us. Mary's instruction to the servants is the same instruction she gives to us today: "Do whatever he tells you."

This is the heart of grace-empowered service. It's obedience. It's trust. It's doing what Jesus commands even when we don't fully understand, even when it doesn't make sense, even when the outcome isn't clear.

Think about those servants for a moment. Jesus tells them to fill the water jars with water. Now, they know the problem is a lack of wine, not a lack of water. Filling jars with water doesn't seem to address the issue at all. But they obey. They fill the jars to the brim. And then Jesus tells them to draw some out and take it to the master of the feast. Imagine their thoughts: "We're going to take water to the master of the feast when what he needs is wine? This is going to be embarrassing!" But they obey.

And in their obedience, they become participants in the miracle. They don't create the miracle—that's God's work. But they cooperate with it. They do their part, and God does His.

Brothers and sisters, this is what grace-empowered service looks like. It's filling our water jars—doing the ordinary, practical tasks that God puts before us—and trusting Him to do the transforming work. It's using the gifts He's given us, even when they seem inadequate for the task. It's serving where He calls us to serve, even when it doesn't make sense to us.

Maybe God is calling you to teach a Catechism class, and you're thinking, "I don't know enough. I'm not qualified." Fill the water jar. Do what He tells you. Trust Him to transform your humble offering.

Maybe God is calling you to reach out to a difficult neighbor, and you're thinking, "I don't know what to say. I don't think I can make a difference." Fill the water jar. Do what He tells you. Trust Him to transform your simple act of kindness.

Maybe God is calling you to give financially to support a ministry, and you're thinking, "I don't have much to give. What difference will my small contribution make?" Fill the water jar. Do what He tells you. Trust Him to multiply your gift.

Maybe God is calling you to forgive someone who has hurt you deeply, and you're thinking, "I can't do this. The wound is too deep." Fill the water jar. Do what He tells you. Trust Him to transform your obedience into healing.

The servants at Cana didn't see the water turn into wine. They didn't witness the moment of transformation. They simply obeyed, and the miracle happened. Often, that's how it is with grace-empowered service. We don't always see the results. We don't always witness the transformation. We simply obey, we serve faithfully, and we trust God to do what only He can do.

Mary's instruction is timeless: "Do whatever he tells you." Not whatever seems reasonable to you. Not whatever you feel comfortable with. Not whatever fits your plans. Do whatever He tells you. That's the posture of grace-empowered service—complete availability to God, complete trust in His ability to transform our ordinary offerings into extraordinary blessings for others.

Fill Your Jars

Brothers and sisters, as we come to the close of this message, I want to leave you with both an encouragement and a challenge.

First, the encouragement: God's grace has already transformed you. If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you're not the same person you once were. The same God who turned water into wine at Cana has been at work in your life, transforming you by His grace. You may not always feel transformed. You may look at yourself and see the same old water jar. But God sees what you're becoming. He sees the good wine that His grace is producing in you.

Don't despise your ordinariness. Those water jars at Cana were ordinary stone vessels used for ceremonial washing. Nothing special. Nothing impressive. But when they were filled at Jesus' command, they became instruments of His miraculous work. You may feel ordinary, unremarkable, inadequate. But when you're filled with God's grace, when you make yourself available for His service, He can use you in extraordinary ways.

You've been gifted by grace. You have something to offer. It may not be what someone else has. Your gift may look different from your neighbor's gift. But it's yours, given to you by God's grace, and it's needed in the body of Christ. Don't hide it. Don't bury it. Don't compare it to others' gifts and decide it's not valuable enough. Use it. Offer it. Fill your water jar and trust God to do the transforming work.

Now, the challenge: This week, I want you to identify one specific way you can use your gifts in service to others. Not someday. Not when you feel more ready. This week. What is one practical, concrete way you can let God's grace flow through you to bless someone else?

Maybe it's using your gift of service to help someone with a practical need—preparing a meal, offering a ride, helping with a project.

Maybe it's using your gift of encouragement to speak words of hope and strength to someone who's struggling.

Maybe it's using your gift of teaching to share God's truth with someone who has questions about faith.

Maybe it's using your gift of generosity to contribute to a need in our church or community.

Maybe it's using your gift of mercy to visit someone who's sick or lonely or grieving.

Maybe it's using your gift of leadership to help organize a ministry or outreach effort.

Whatever your gift is, use it this week. Fill your water jar. Do whatever He tells you. And trust that the same Jesus who transformed water into wine at Cana will transform your humble offering into something beautiful for His kingdom.

Remember, you're not serving to earn God's grace. You already have it. You're serving because you've been graced, and grace by its very nature flows outward to others. You're serving because you've been transformed, and transformation is meant to be shared.

The miracle at Cana wasn't just about wine. It was about Jesus manifesting His glory, revealing who He is. And when we serve others in the power of God's grace, we're doing the same thing. We're manifesting His glory. We're revealing who He is to a world that desperately needs to see Him.

So go forth this week as vessels of God's transforming grace. Fill your jars with whatever He gives you—your time, your talents, your resources, your very selves. Offer them in service to others. And watch as He transforms your ordinary offerings into extraordinary blessings.

The same Jesus who turned water into wine is still in the transformation business. He's transforming you, and He wants to use you to bring transformation to others. That's the power of grace-empowered service.