Once upon a time there was a local lord whose region included many vineyards and was called the wine country because so many fine wines were produced there. It just so happened that the lord’s daughter, a very pretty and popular princess, was recently engaged to a prince and the wedding was to take place at the lord’s castle in a few month’s time.
With great joy the local lord made the announcement and invited all the villagers to the upcoming wedding and festivities. He told them that he would provide the food in abundance, rich fine food. But to make sure everyone felt included in this very festive occasion, the lord set up a large vat in the village square and invited everyone in the village to bring one bottle of their finest wine from their vineyards and pour it into the enormous oak cask over the intervening months -- so that by the time of the wedding there would be an ample supply of very choice wine to make the wedding feast especially festive.
In order not to brag, each villager came at night after dark to pour in their own family’s contribution. They came anonymously. Each contributor could hear that the oak cask was filling up as each family came to make its contribution.
Finally the day of the wedding arrived. After the wedding ceremony in the cathedral, the bride and groom, the prince and princess, came to the village square for the reception. Everyone in the town was dressed in their best outfits. The local lord had arranged for an amazing array and variety of food.
As the time drew near for the toast, the bride and groom went to the community’s pride and joy, their own local wine, gifted by the entire community. The silence was deep as the wine master unsealed the giant oaken cask. The first cup, the prince’s own golden cup, was placed beneath the spigot. Everyone held their breath in expectation of the finest wine.
When the spigot turned and the liquid filled the cup, everyone was shocked to see that it was as clear as water. Indeed, it was just water! Water!
Suddenly the truth was out! Everyone had thought to hoard their precious wines for economic gain in the market, saying to themselves, that others would be the fools to contribute wines to the great community cask for the feast. But, the reality was that everyone had said the same thing to themselves. The chance to feast and celebrate their beautiful princess’s wedding was sadly marred by their communal selfishness. A wonderful opportunity to share and feast was missed.
My brothers and sisters, this Eucharist, every Eucharist, is the celebration of the wedding feast of the Lamb of God, the celebration of the marriage between God and man in Christ Jesus, a taste here on earth of the feast of heaven so beautifully symbolized by the Wedding Feast of Cana.
You and I are so richly provided for, yet we are also asked, invited, by the Lord to bring our own gift, and add it to the rest of the community’s contribution. In this way each of us will have an investment in this wonderful marriage between God and us.