THE MIRACULOUS IN A MIRACLE

A sermon by the Rev. Dr. James G. Kirk

Harundale Presbyterian Church

Glen Burnie, Maryland

January 14, 2001

Text: "You have kept the good wine until now." (John 2:10)

First Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

This story came by e-mail over the holidays and it was one of those I wanted to tuck away for a future date. Well, the date has come and I think it fits our scripture well this morning. "The 26 year-old mother stared down at her son who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent she wanted her son to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son’s dreams to come true.

"She took her son’s hand and asked, ‘Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?’ ‘Mommy, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up.’ Mom smiled back and said, ‘Let’s see if we can make your wish come true.’ Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son’s final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her six year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine. Fireman Bob said, ‘Look, we can do better than that. If you’ll have your son ready at seven o’clock Wednesday morning, we’ll make him an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you’ll give us his sizes, we’ll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real hat-not a toy one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They’re all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast.’

"Three days later, Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his fire uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in Heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic’s van and even the fire chief’s car. He was also video taped for the local news program. Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible.

"One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the Hospice concept that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the fire chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition. The chief replied, ‘We can do better than that. We’ll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire? It’s just the fire department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room? Thanks’

"About five minutes later, a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital, extended its ladder up to the Billy’s third floor open window and 16 firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy’s room. With his mother’s permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they loved him. With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, ‘Chief, am I really a fireman now?’ ‘Billy, you are,’ the chief said. With those words, Billy smiled and closed his eyes one last time."

Jesus’ mother came to him and told him that the wine had given out at the wedding, what was he going to do about it? Her concern was a natural one. They had been invited to the wedding and all the guests were there. They should have a good time. There was no way of knowing the wine wouldn’t last. Jesus’ mother also knew that Jesus of all people could do something about it. Just like Billy’s mother and just like the nurse. There are people in our lives who know who to turn to in times of need. They don’t need direction, they don’t need to be told or reminded that they should do something. They act instinctively, as though what they are going to suggest is the most natural thing possible. Often, in situations like that, we are left with the feeling, "why didn’t I think of that?"

At any rate, after some initial fussing, which I’m sure John inserts into his story for the benefit of the reader, Jesus does exactly what his mother suggests. He tells the servants to serve the guests from the six stone jars, which they do, and when the wine steward tastes what the servants are giving the guests, sure enough, the water has turned to wine.

There’s a trick that people do in management seminars, which is to make three rows of three dots each. Then they are to take a pencil and connect all nine dots without putting the pencil down. The solution they suggest to the seminar, after people have tried to connect all the dots, is to go outside the box. In other words, they have to extend their line at the top row and then again at the bottom row. The lesson is, of course, in planning; sometimes people have to think outside the box, to come up with ideas they may not have thought of before.

That’s what’s happening in both of our stories this morning. Each story is meant to draw our attention to the miraculous in the miracle. In both cases, with Billy and the firemen, and Jesus with the water turned into wine, people tend to fasten their attention on the miracle and not on the miraculous. Then, more often than not, we end up with the question, "how’d they do that?" That’s not where John wants our attention. That’s not where Billy’s mother or the nurse wants our attention. John tells the story of Jesus and the wine in order to make the point that from now on things are going to be different. Things are going to be "outside the box." From now on, we’re all guests invited to the wedding banquet and Jesus will see to it that our needs are met. In fact, as Shiela Ruth told me, we’d probably have so much wine that we’ll need to sing the hymn, which we’re going to do, "Open my Eyes that I May See!"

Where Billy’s mother and the nurse want our attention is what are we going to do to make the miraculous happen in other people’s lives? They want us to acquire that instinctive sense that something needs to be done. They want us to think outside the box, just like they did. Billy’s mother didn’t need to call the fire department. She could have continued to mourn her son’s disease and quietly sat by his side as he took his last breath. But instead she was proactive. She went "outside the box" and saw to it that Billy’s last wish was fulfilled.

The nurse didn’t need to do what she did either. But instead she remembered how Billy’s day with the firemen had extended his life for three months. Now, when his time was near, she would see to it that he was surrounded by his fellow firefighters. We all have occasions to do something miraculous for people. It takes some initiative. It takes the decision that we’re going to attune ourselves to what people need. It takes some imagination, a willingness to dare to do something that others may be too timid to try. It takes determination, the same determination Jesus’ mother had when she decided that the guests weren’t going to go away dissatisfied with the wedding reception.

As long as we focus our attention on the miracle we’ll keep waiting for something to happen. When we begin to focus that same attention on the miraculous we’ll make something happen. Jesus’ mother knew that, Billy’s mother knew that and the nurse knew that. As this year begins John wants us to know that. We all have the capacity for the Holy Spirit to work though us to bring the healing power of the risen Christ into someone’s life. Let’s open our eyes that others may see God’s wonderful ways of turning the waters of life into the wine of salvation!

Thanks be to God,

Amen