Second Sunday after Epiphany (1885)

John 2:1-11 If there is something that is difficult for us at the time of tribulation, it is when we seek help and cannot find it, or when help is absent just longer than we want it. But what true faith really is shows itself in such circumstances. - Indeed many in distress take their recourse to God. They do not belong to those who only stay with the help of men, or even be impatient, murmur and blaspheme. No, they pray and ask quite nimbly that the Lord look upon them and might hurry to them with His help.1 But if they are now still not heard, if heaven remains, as it were, closed, if they know though that God can help, but must wait so long for help, faith is often quite small and weak there, to an almost invisible spark. And yet God does not want to extinguish this spark; but He gives an exercise to weak faith precisely through the delay of help, that it would be strong. The exercise of faith in the delay of divine help. We consider in this connection, 1. that God for that very reason tarries with His help, in order to test our faith. Today's Gospel is for this purpose the clearest evidence. Lack of wine appears at the wedding at Cana. This is the picture of all of our distresses, all of our days of suffering, the tests and temptations that come over us, and the answer that rings from Jesus' mouth: My hour has not yet come. But so little did the cause lie in the fact that the Lord could not or would not have been able to help, so little we must not even give room to the illusion as if the Lord's hand had shortened or His love for us had cooled. The conduct of Jesus toward His own mother teaches us otherwise. He does this, rather, a. in order to test our faith. Or can one explain differently than the hard-sounding words as spoken by the Lord to his mother: "Woman" etc., that He wanted to put her to the test, whether she would believe that He, her Son, is also God and Lord, and therefore she does without her motherly right in this case? - In the days of peace and happiness to be a good Christian seems easy to everyone, he thinks to have a faith that could move mountains. Then God applies a cross on him, and if he calls for help, He rejects him. Then it manifests itself whether one is such a hero of the faith. Unfortunately, it happens that some fall asleep on the waiting2, i.e., throws away his confidence. b. in order to bring us to cope when we are in error. If the mother of the Lord would have some such carnal opinion of her Son: now it certainly falls away as she saw the first sign of her Son. We also learn when help tarries to recognize our unworthiness. If while we had previously believed that we could only beckon to God when we lack something, then we now perhaps notice that He owes us nothing. c. in order to strengthen our faith. The words: "And His disciples believed in Him" are the most striking proof of it. Though their faith was previously a good and right type, it was still very
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Daniel 9:19. Matthew 25:5.

weak, a smoldering wick. But what a light, what a power it was now! This is still God's purpose when He tarries for a while with His help. 2. how true faith thereby proves itself. a. it lets its request be made known to God, but it dictates nothing to Him . Mary said only: "They have no wine"; otherwise she gives Him a free hand. A believing Christian follows her example, he laments to the Lord quite humbly, but way, time and hour of the help He leaves to His discretion, that everything is done well. b. it trusts in God's Word without wavering. "Whatever He says to you, do it!" It is enough for me that it is in Scripture; to its dear promise I hold myself. Whoever now understands it, like David, to grasp God's heart?3 Even though the Lord lets the jars fill with water, with water of tears, there yet remains this: what He says to you, do it, suffer it, believe it! My reason shall remain silent and I will do what Jesus says. c. it is, however, patient and silent under its crosses. Thus the pious mother of the Lord. She does not even make a disapproving expression from the hard word. There was nothing of grumbling, as she did not immediately see the help. Indeed hope deferred makes the heart sick.4 The time will sometimes be long to us. But it does not come to despair. Await the hour of help with serene courage. Quietness and trust!5 Finally faith is gloriously crowned and it should happen through miracles. Georg Stckhardt

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Psalm 27:8. Proverbs 13:12. 5 Isaiah 30:15.