Wedding Sermon John 2:1-11 (Sirach 26:1-4, 16-21; Revelation 19:1, 5-9a; John 2:1-11)

Dear friends, what a joy it is to gather here today in the presence of God to witness this beautiful moment in the lives of [Name] and [Name]. Let us begin with a brief prayer: Loving God, who blessed the wedding at Cana with your presence, bless this couple as they begin their marriage journey together. May your divine love transform their human love, just as Jesus transformed water into wine. Amen.

Today, as [Name] and [Name] stand before us to exchange their vows, our Scripture readings reveal a profound truth about marriage – it is meant to be filled with "The Wine of Divine Love." This is the central message I invite all of us to reflect upon today.

In our Gospel reading from John, we witness Jesus performing his first miracle at a wedding feast in Cana. When the wine runs out – a potentially embarrassing situation for the hosts – Mary notices and brings this need to Jesus. "They have no wine," she simply states. And Jesus, though initially hesitant, transforms six stone jars of water into the finest wine, saving the celebration and revealing his glory.

This miracle at Cana is not merely about Jesus helping a couple avoid social embarrassment. It reveals something essential about Christ's relationship with marriage itself. As St. Augustine teaches us, the transformation of water into wine symbolizes how Christ elevates natural human love into something supernatural through the sacrament of marriage. The ordinary becomes extraordinary through divine intervention.

The reading from Sirach beautifully complements this theme when it declares: "A wife's charm delights her husband, and her skill puts flesh on his bones." This ancient wisdom reminds us that in marriage, one spouse brings joy, strength, and life to the other. But notice what Sirach emphasizes next: "A silent wife is a gift from the Lord." This silence isn't about being voiceless, but rather points to a peaceful, virtuous presence that creates harmony in the home – a presence that, like good wine, brings warmth and gladness to the heart.

And in our reading from Revelation, we hear of the "wedding feast of the Lamb," where God's people are called to rejoice and celebrate the ultimate union between Christ and his Church. The bride "has made herself ready" and is "clothed with fine linen, bright and pure." This heavenly wedding feast reminds us that every Christian marriage participates in and points toward this greater mystery – the eternal communion of love between God and humanity.

[Name] and [Name], today you begin your marriage with the sweet wine of romantic love and joyful celebration. But the Scriptures remind us that in every marriage, there will come moments when it seems the wine has run out – when challenges arise, when misunderstandings occur, when sacrifice is required. It is precisely in these moments that Christ wishes to perform his miracle in your lives, transforming the water of your human efforts into the wine of divine love.

The Catholic understanding of marriage as a sacrament means precisely this: your love for each other becomes a channel of God's grace. Through the sacrament you receive today, Christ himself enters your relationship as a permanent guest, ready to transform the ordinary water of daily life into extraordinary wine of sacrificial love. Your marriage becomes not just a human contract but a covenant reflecting Christ's faithful love for his Church.

How can you live out this "Wine of Divine Love" in your daily lives together? Let me offer three practical suggestions:

First, bring your empty jars to Christ daily. Just as Mary noticed when the wine ran out at Cana, be attentive to the moments when your own resources seem depleted. Make prayer together a non-negotiable part of your life, especially in challenging times. The Catechism reminds us that "prayer is the life of the new heart" (CCC 2697). When you pray together, you invite Christ to transform your limitations into opportunities for grace.

Second, follow Mary's wise counsel to "do whatever he tells you." This means listening attentively to God's word in Scripture and Church teaching, allowing it to shape your decisions and priorities as a couple. The waters of obedience to God's will always transform into the wine of joy and peace.

Third, become servants of each other's joy. Notice that in the Cana story, it was the servants who filled the jars with water and then drew out the wine. In marriage, you are called to serve one another in love. St. John Chrysostom beautifully described marriage as a place where we "bear one another's burdens." When you serve each other – especially when it's difficult – you participate in Christ's miracle of transformation.

[Name] and [Name], as you begin your married life together, remember that the best wine is always saved for last. In God's mysterious plan, the challenges you face together will become opportunities for your love to mature and deepen, like wine that improves with age. The love you feel today is just the beginning of what God has in store for you.

May God, who transformed water into wine at Cana, transform your human love into a reflection of his divine love. May he fill the jars of your marriage to overflowing with the new wine of joy, fidelity, and grace. And may all who encounter your marriage recognize, as the disciples did at Cana, the glory of God revealed in your love for one another.