Our Christian roots: Christ’s first miracle

(Vatican Radio) It’s known as the Lord’s first miracle – When Jesus turned water into wine at the Wedding Feast of Cana. St. John recounts the story in his gospel, telling how Mary and her son were invited to participate in a feast celebrating a newly married couple. When their hosts ran out of wine, Mary turned to Jesus, observing that there was no more to drink. At first, Jesus, who had yet to enter fully into public life, seemed reluctant to help out – but then blessed the water, making it the finest wine to be served at the party.
In a tradition dating at least as far back as the eighth century and perhaps even earlier, the Wedding Feast of Cana is generally held to have taken place in a small village in Galilee called Kefr Kenna – about five miles northeast of Nazareth. A church was built over the site and over the centuries the Franciscans have built a larger shrine up around it. Recent excavations have revealed parts of the old church beneath it.
Today, as part of our series of Lenten reflections accompanying the Cardinals on their journey of prayer for the election of the next Successor of Saint Peter, Fr. Peter Stravinskas takes us back to Cana for a look at that landmark event in Jesus’s life. Fr. Stravinskas is a respected scholar, author and editor of the Catholic Response.
Listen to this program by Tracey McClure: