Readings:
Genesis 14:17-20;
Psalm 128;
Revelation 19:6-10;
John 2:1-11

Collect:
O holy God
whose Son revealed in signs and miracles
the wonders of your saving love:
renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reflection 

That reading from Genesis about Abram and several unpronounceable names is complicated. Who’d choose this as a shared reading while we’re still in the season of Epiphany? There is war (again, still) and many kings with long names. Then a tenth king comes on the scene, Melchizedek. This one is significantly different from the rest. The others are engaged in war. This one brings bread and wine – which may be a pun as war and bread in Hebrew have the same consonants. This tenth king brings to an end this part of the story by blessing Abram in the name of “God Most High”. 

Quite different from our usual view, in this story Abram is a mighty warrior, the “strong man” who has been victorious in battle. Melchizedek, apparently an ally, seems mightier, and Abram recognizes this foreign king’s status, even receives his blessing. But Abram refuses to accept any gains of military conquest from another. He receives blessing, food and drink – bread and wine – but will not take what is not his from the spoils of war.

Grappling with this story in his prayer reflecting the readings for today, Graham Turner* discerns not only blessing, but also peace here, and invites us to share in both.

Most High God, blesser of the ancient Abram, may your peace be upon Israel, may your peace be upon Palestine, may your peace be upon Christians, may your peace be upon Muslims, may your peace be upon all people of all creeds, and orientations, colours and persuasions.

Whatever else may lie within this Genesis passage, and there is a lot, Turner asks us to prioritise peace and blessing in the midst of war and conflict. His prayer captures these so well it’s as if he were writing just last week.

Turner’s prayer then moves us to the John’s Gospel, to the story of a wedding and water for cleansing rites turned into extraordinarily good wine. A wedding, a symbol of the start of new life, and marriage the symbol of God’s relationship with Israel, God’s people. This wedding is a celebration and Jesus provides new wine, very good wine, water transformed. John calls this Jesus’ first sign – there are a series of signs in John, all pointing to Jesus’ glory. The final sign, but not identified as such, is Jesus’ glorification in crucifixion. This is no disaster in John’s gospel. It is Jesus’ crowning glory. Now in chapter 2, John is asking us to think about the messianic banquet to which all are invited. This is a banquet in which we share every week in Holy Communion, and here we too are called to be transformed, changed from water into wine.

Turner’s prayer continues, challenging us to commit ourselves to be continually transformed. He prays:
     In Christ you transform the old into the new,
     the ordinary into the special,
     the religious duty into loving faithfulness.

We know that without water we die, and we proclaim that the ordinary is the place of God’s manifestation. We are also called to the celebration of good wine, recognize God’s transforming presence that turns everything extraordinary.

Barry Lotz

*Prayer slightly adapted from Graham Turner Alternative Collects: Prayers to a Disruptive and Compassionate GodSacristy Press, 2018, p 41.