Second Sunday after Epiphany: Week of January 16, 2022

Begin your devotion time by praying this prayer: Generous God, your presence is made known through the blessings of our ordinary lives. Open our hearts to receive these blessings and share them with others. Amen.

Reflect on the Way of Love together: This week’s practice on the Way of Love is BLESS. In this story, Jesus takes water and turns it into wine– a miracle and a blessing for all at a wedding. Where have you experienced blessing in an ordinary moment in your life? Where might you look for God’s blessings in the coming week?

Adult and Small Child

Read: John 2:1-11

Reflect: Can you imagine having a party with a group of friends, and running out of food? I like to have parties at my house, and I always make sure I have enough for people to eat and drink. It would be so sad to run out of food!

This story tells us about one of Jesus’ first miracles. We hear that Jesus is at a wedding where they run out of wine for people to drink. Do you know what he does next? He takes water and turns it into wine! Instead of running out of drink, there was more than enough for everyone there. Isn’t that amazing?

This is one of many stories in the Bible where we hear about Jesus blessing others through his miracles. I don’t think that I can turn water into wine, but I can bless others through my words and actions, too. I wonder how you might bless another person this week?

Respond: Think of a way that you can bless others to make sure they have enough. Then, do it! Some ideas might be: donate one of your toys to a child in need, go shopping for a food pantry, or give some time to help another person with chores around their home.

- Victoria Hoppes

Adult and Elementary

Read: John 2:1-11

Reflect: Have you ever been excited while getting ready for a party? I have! As I get dressed for a friend's birthday party, I think of the jokes that I might tell. As a youngster, I would anticipate playing hide and seek, pin the tail on the donkey, and musical chairs. I would think of a strategy to win at musical chairs, but it never quite panned out.

Jesus is attending a party in our reading. Jesus turns the water into wine at the party and surprises everyone. This is Jesus' first miracle, or the first time that Jesus did something that no one else was able to do.

Respond: Do you have any special talents? Take some time this week to thank God for blessing you with talents. Make a list and name them during daily prayer time.

- Imani Driskell

Adult and Youth

Read: John 2:1-11

Reflect: Today’s lesson involves Jesus’ first miracle. He, his mother, and the disciples were at a wedding. In these days, weddings were a big deal that could last for days on end. There was much eating and drinking going on. So what do you think happened next? They ran out of wine! There were many thirsty guests and nothing to give them. Imagine, even in today’s time, going to a party where the food or drink ran out. They couldn’t just run to the store or call in for a pizza delivery. Jesus, knowing the cultural ramifications of this, did not want his friends to be embarrassed. He had never performed a miracle before, yet he took common everyday objects like jars and water and turned them into something extraordinary. Jesus wants to do this in each of our lives. When we slow down and take time to look at our lives it is easy to see God coming alongside us transforming the common, everyday objects and events into extraordinary life changing experiences.

Respond: Every day the sun rises and sets. On most days, this is nothing I go out of my way to pay attention to. However, every once in a while, I get to be blessed by an extraordinary sunset. One that is full of so much beauty. Maybe it’s the seasons changing or maybe I just happen to find that perfect time of day to catch it. This is something that happens every day and I so often don’t take time to notice it. Where is Jesus in your everyday life? Take time this week to notice the extraordinary moments, large or small, where Jesus is present. Write these moments down in a journal or other place where you will see them on a regular basis.

- Lauren Wainwright

Adult and Adults

Read: John 2:1-11

Reflect: One of the commonly noted features of Jesus in John’s Gospel is that he never tries to deny that he is God made flesh. At this wedding, where he is making his debut to public ministry, it seems on the surface that he starts by being a jerk to his mother, and then upstages the nuptials by performing close-up magic. But if we dig a little deeper, a more radical picture emerges. Using the jars of water for ritual bathing, he connects his baptism to the holy meal that will spell his death, and all of creation to him for eternity.

Respond: In the Anglican Communion (of which the Episcopal church is a part), we view the sacraments as “outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace.� (Book of Common Prayer, p. 857) Of course, God is always with us, but there are also special moments where it becomes easier to notice and experience God’s presence in and among us. It’s probably not surprising that many of the sacraments are inherently physical-The Great Sacraments recognized by the church are baptism and communion, moments where we get as physically close to God as it’s possible to be-in baptism we are drowned in the waters of death and new life along with Christ, and in communion, we take him into our bodies. This story also invokes another of the sacraments-marriage, through which hearts and households become one. As you go about your lives this week, make an effort to engage in the remembrances of baptism above and make it a point to receive communion if you can. Endeavor to notice what’s happening in your body throughout the day and where you feel God’s presence within you.

- Jessica Davis