Filling the Jars

While recently prepping some "stuff" for church, the question appeared:

In your daily life, how can you obey the command to fill the jars “to the brim”?
As you probably know this was in the context of Jesus' first miracle at the wedding feast in Cana. But never before had this command been applied to us...those words spoken thousands of years ago meant for today. It's appropriate that the question doesn't ask how do I currently obey, because the status quo probably isn't the ideal. The question asks how CAN I obey, very much implying that there is a goal, a higher level of obedience to attain.

There are so many jars in life, right? So many places to put our time and energy. And how many of them have any actual worth in the consideration of eternity? Only souls, only other humans have this eternal worth. People are the jars that I should spend every moment on earth trying to fill.

So many jars, so little time. But recall Blessed Mother Teresa. She said, "If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family."

October 2013

Which is impossible at times and not because they are unlovable. Rather, I'm so bad at loving. So selfish and focused on my own agenda. When will I be able to sew next, when will I get to sit and watch Downton Abbey, when's my next vacation, why can't I do the dishes in peace, who ate the last brownie!?!?

And children are hard to raise with their personalities and general wildness. And don't forget my parenting failures (see above). Then add in all the horrible influences they'll encounter as they grow up and are exposed to more and more of the worst of the world. Right now we don't even allow the news to be on in our home. (Partly because it's all made up anyways by the reporter's agenda...but that's a topic for another day. But partly because we like them innocent.) It's daunting to consider all that's going into these jars.

March 2015

The command was to fill the jars to the brim. Nothing more. Simply put all my efforts into filling the jars as full as I possibly can. And the story gives us the promise of the outcome we can expect if we follow the command and then step back with trust that Jesus has a plan. Those servers filled the jars with water. And were serving wine-the best wine!-before the party was over.

December 2015

So I'll persevere in filling these little jars with love, lessons in virtue, and prayer. Then step back and wait for that promise to manifest itself in their lives.