SAINT RAYMOND OF PENYAFORT, PRIEST (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

His disciples began to believe in him. 

John has already told us about how Jesus’ disciples were sure they had “found the Messiah” (John 1:41). So why does he tell us now that Jesus’ miracle of changing water into wine is when they truly “began to believe in him” (2:11)?

Maybe it was like that feeling you get when your favorite sports team drafts a star player. You might think about how this awesome pick can change the whole team, but you still want to see how he actually proves himself. Until this wedding feast, Jesus hadn’t yet produced any signs that “proved himself” enough to calm their doubts. But now that he had “revealed his glory,” the disciples were far more confident that Jesus was the Messiah (John 2:11).

And what a Messiah he proved to be! He was a humble Messiah who cared about even minor struggles like running out of wine at a wedding. He was a Messiah who was concerned about ordinary people and who brought God’s compassion and power into every place he went. And perhaps most of all, he was a Messiah whose love was extravagant and generous, someone who gave his people only the best—just like the “good” wine that he gave this newlywed couple (John 2:10).

As dramatic as it was, this miracle was just the beginning of the disciples’ journey of faith in the Lord. And just as it happened for them, God wants our faith in him to continue to change and grow as we spend time with him. He wants to convince us more and more deeply that love is at the heart of his mission—a love even stronger than the love between a husband and wife on their wedding day.

You might be like the disciples in today’s passage, just starting your journey of faith. Or maybe you have been following Jesus for a long time. Either way, know that God has more that he wants to give you: more love, more grace, more revelation, more of everything! There is no end to Jesus’ ability to draw you closer to him.

“Jesus, thank you for giving me the new wine of your love!”

1 John 5:14-21
Psalm 149:1-6, 9
John 2:1-11