The resurrection was not the only “third day”

“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine’. And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servers, ‘do whatever he tells you.’ Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ So, they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, ‘Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.’ So, they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one: but you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.” (John 2:1-11 emphasis mine)

John has started his Gospel off with a rush of significant events in the life and ministry of Jesus. Just within the previous verses leading to this major event, John the Baptist has baptized Jesus, the Lord has called his disciples, He has promised and shown that he sees us and knows us (as evidenced Nathanael), and now the time has come for him to perform his first miracle. His time, despite what he believed when he addressed Mary, had indeed come and he would manifest his glory.

“The third day” draws us back to remembering another “third day” in the life of Christ. The resurrection is the “third day” we all associate with the Lord. It was during the resurrection’s “third day” that Jesus again performed a miracle and manifest his glory in a public way. Additionally, a defeated and downtrodden group of disciples also believed in him after his resurrection. (Specifically, a doubting Thomas who became a believing Thomas)

The story of the wedding at Cana is often talked about in terms of the Blessed Mother’s intercession, as it indeed is a truth expressed in this scene. It is not, however, the only important lesson we see in this event. We see this takes place on “the third day.” I can’t help but wonder what the disciples thought during this time. It obviously impressed them and had such an impact on their soul that they believed Jesus was indeed the Messiah. It makes me wonder, however, why they were following him in the first place if they did not already believe. Why did they follow someone and listen to someone who had been declared the Messiah if, in fact, they had not fully believed He was Lord yet?

But there are many Christians who “follow” Jesus but have not fully believed. The lack of belief in the Real Presence is an indication of this failure to believe. The lack of prayer in our daily lives is an indication that we “follow” on Sunday, but yet do not believe He truly is God in our hearts and lives. What would happen if we stepped out of the exterior realm of belief and stepped into the soul of the truth of Jesus? What would your life look like if you truly believed Jesus was God Incarnate?

What does Jesus have to do for you to fully believe?