The new wine that Jesus gave the bride and groom for their guests is symbolic of all the gifts that God gives us to care for each other and the world we live in. Jesus himself experienced newness of a deeper understanding of his mission through the message of his mother. This led his disciples to have deeper confidence and commitment to him which would come in handy before too long.
Mary’s alertness to the needs of the host and hostess of the wedding party reminds me of the event some of us went to the other night at the Interfaith Center. You may have seen something about it on TV. It was the reception here in the 1st floor gallery for the display of interactive artwork designed for sightless young children. One of the leaders of the group is a woman whose child can see things but can’t connect what she sees with any meaning of what it is.
As we walked around the room, some of us using eye shades that were provided, we could feel how important the sense of touch is to visually impaired children. Here’s a quote from their newsletter from Emily, the mother of Vance. “Thank you all for giving me ideas and tips and teaching me how to teach my son. When he was first diagnosed one of my biggest fears was that I wouldn’t be able to interact with him, that I would never truly be able to understand my son. All of you that worked with him from the very early days up until now, have showed me just how much potential he has. Each and every one of you appreciates his sense of humor and his sweet smile.”
Working with visually impaired preschoolers is one of the faces of compassion. Every time we look around, see a need, ask God for guidance, and act with compassion we are following Mary’s example. Our Leadership Circle has decided to give this group our tithe for the 4th quarter of 2015.
Rev. Maria Thornton McClain