My side of the story
Dear diary,
It was an extremely tiring day…. but an exciting one!! It is past midnight now…. and I am very sleepy but I cannot sleep without telling what happened….
Well I have been up since it was dark. I woke up for the big day…..my master’s son’s wedding… Yesterday the master told me and the other slaves to work very hard. He said that all the big people of this town and the neighboring towns have been invited and he wanted the wedding to be very grand. He promised us good presents if we worked hard. That was not the only thing pushed us to work…the mistress came early today morning and sternly warned us to work seriously and keep everything in order. She is very rude…. I don’t like her and ….I’m not alone. Anyway we were all mentally prepared to make our master’s son’s wedding a success. I like him. He gave me one of his old coats. It had nice colors.
It’s been 2 ½ years since I’m working here and because of the trust placed in me by my master, I was asked to take care of the wine. Though there were many other things also to be done, the head slave told me clearly to make sure that the wine was in it’s best form. He trusts me. I still remember how he honored me few months back when I chased and caught the thief who stole my mistress’ chain. I was treated like a hero. Actually I was a hero even before that when I jumped into the well to save the neighbor’s son. I felt very proud…. and today is one more chance when I can show myself to be a hero.
I was hard on the winemakers. Carefully made sure they did their best. I asked the head slave for the total number of people who will be attending the wedding. And of course I knew that people tend to drink lots on weddings. So I made sure there was plenty of extra wine. My homework was done…. I can’t wait till tomorrow when I‘ll be honored before everyone and given special gifts. It’s too exciting…
The wedding started…the crowd was very thick… I was busy running around and distributing the wine. Few people whom I know are important smiled at me and told me that the wine was good. I was delighted…was just hoping that they would put a word about this to the master…and of course the.... mistress too.
I was surprised when this boy ran to me and said I was urgently needed inside. I was wondering what it could be as I walked back to the kitchen. People inside had anxious looks on their faces… I did not like that look…. The winemaker broke the silence…. I froze. He said the jar was dry… I couldn’t believe what I heard. In spite of the dancing and loud noises all around, these words echoed in my ears.
Wine cannot be immediately prepared and the wedding was only half way through. But I didn’t understand… I’m sure I got the quantity right and it’s no use shouting at the helpers… it was not their fault. I was in…..big trouble. I’m a slave…. I don’t have rights. For blunders like this, scavenger animals would be eating my headless body tomorrow outside the city gates. Somehow I had to draw the courage the go and tell the chief slave servant.
He was not in a good mood. He had just been scolded by the mistress for not receiving an important guest well. Actually it wasn’t his fault but he was still scolded by the mistress. I know how you feel when she scolds you. I whispered in his ears the bad news about the wine….. All hell broke loose…. he started a big commotion inside the kitchen. He was about to strangle me when the other slaves came and pulled him away from me and pushed him inside. I was shivering and I sat on a stool. A small part of the crowd was distracted due to the commotion, but really didn’t bother. Actually…. One lady did come inside. She saw me sitting and came to me, knelt down and asked me what was wrong. I turned and looked at her… she was very graceful, full of peace and looked around 50 years old. I don’t understand what made me tell her my problem but at the state I was, I told her everything without any expressions. She smiled at me, took me by my hand and I just followed her. I wasn’t in a mood to ask her where she was taking me. Even as she walking with me, she said something about taking me to her son. Who could her son be??? One more wine maker from the next town?? And how much would he have stored for a rainy day?? And how would we be able to transport enough quantity even if he had sufficient amounts soon enough to serve everyone?? It is pointless even to think about these things… so much for a hero….
Even as these thought were going through my mind, I found myself standing before this man. He had a serene look, tall, fair …but so what? I saw few men around him. They were rough and crude. From my experience living in Cana, most of them looked like ….. ordinary fishermen. Even as I saw them, I heard one of them point to this lady and tell the person standing next to him, that she was the mother the Tall man.
Strange, I just heard that man call the lady –“woman”. A son does not call his mother “Lady”?? And He softly spoke to her…something about His time not yet there…it was crazy.. This lady turned around and looked me in the eye and sternly told me “ Do as He tells you to do”. I turned and saw Him. His eye caught me. There was so much grace, love, peace and…. Lots of power….something sparked inside me. He lovingly put His arms around me, pointed to the jars outside and said, “Fill it with water and start serving it to the people”. What!! Things were getting crazier by the minute. Those jars are used to store water used for washing the feet and they are always kept outside… they are dirty. What will people say if they find out these jars were used to store wine? And….they don’t even have wine in them!! Even as these thoughts were running in my mind, I looked at Him again. Some divine peace spoke inside me “Peace, all will turn out good”.
I am not sure if was out of desperation or out of instinct…I don’t know, I just ordered some boys to do what He said. I too ran and started filling the jars with water. We added six jars till no more water could be filled in them. This man and the men around Him watched us filling in the water. Even the men standing with Him were murmuring something among themselves.. I could read their thoughts…what is going to happen?? It looks like madness.
And slowly we could feel the crowd grow restless, as they were not getting the wine they ordered for. We had to act fast. The master suddenly came to me and asked to keep the wine moving, people were complaining. I looked at this Man again. He calmly nodded His head and asked me to go ahead. With shivering hands, I took a jar of wine to the master. Every step I took made me feel as though I was walking to my end. I did not dare to look inside the jar, it’s only water. I was hoping that he would be too drunk to realize the difference. My steps were small and very slow and suddenly, I was standing before the master. I extended my hand half-heartedly, gave it him and stepped back. I just had time to turn around and look at this man. He smiled and that divine peace only filled me again. I could almost hear Him tell me “ Trust me my dear child”.
And suddenly, I was startled by the loud drunk voice of the master of the banquet calling for the groom. I shut my eyes. Did he find out that it’s only water? I turned around and looked at the man again. Whenever I see Him there’s peace and the next moment I look at the jar, I freeze. It would be very insulting to serve someone so big with water, when they asked for wine. A wedding for my master’s son and for me, my funeral. Everyone turned silent and looked at him. He spoke out, “ Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests had too much to drink, but you ….you have save the best till now….” I couldn’t believe my ears even as the crowd started cheering the announcement of the arrival of the new wine. Orders started pouring for more wine and my team and me were all running around serving the wine. Then suddenly, I stopped and thought about that man. I ran everywhere trying to see Him and….I don’t know…I have to thank Him,...ask Him how HE did it.. and…somehow repay Him….it’s impossible…Water into WINE! How is that possible?? I don’t know but He did it and I couldn’t see Him anymore, or that woman. All that I could find out about Him was that His name is JESUS …and…. He is the hero of the day…..no….the Superhero of my life…
It was an extremely tiring day…. but an exciting one!! It is past midnight now…. and I am very sleepy but I cannot sleep without telling what happened….
Well I have been up since it was dark. I woke up for the big day…..my master’s son’s wedding… Yesterday the master told me and the other slaves to work very hard. He said that all the big people of this town and the neighboring towns have been invited and he wanted the wedding to be very grand. He promised us good presents if we worked hard. That was not the only thing pushed us to work…the mistress came early today morning and sternly warned us to work seriously and keep everything in order. She is very rude…. I don’t like her and ….I’m not alone. Anyway we were all mentally prepared to make our master’s son’s wedding a success. I like him. He gave me one of his old coats. It had nice colors.
It’s been 2 ½ years since I’m working here and because of the trust placed in me by my master, I was asked to take care of the wine. Though there were many other things also to be done, the head slave told me clearly to make sure that the wine was in it’s best form. He trusts me. I still remember how he honored me few months back when I chased and caught the thief who stole my mistress’ chain. I was treated like a hero. Actually I was a hero even before that when I jumped into the well to save the neighbor’s son. I felt very proud…. and today is one more chance when I can show myself to be a hero.
I was hard on the winemakers. Carefully made sure they did their best. I asked the head slave for the total number of people who will be attending the wedding. And of course I knew that people tend to drink lots on weddings. So I made sure there was plenty of extra wine. My homework was done…. I can’t wait till tomorrow when I‘ll be honored before everyone and given special gifts. It’s too exciting…
The wedding started…the crowd was very thick… I was busy running around and distributing the wine. Few people whom I know are important smiled at me and told me that the wine was good. I was delighted…was just hoping that they would put a word about this to the master…and of course the.... mistress too.
I was surprised when this boy ran to me and said I was urgently needed inside. I was wondering what it could be as I walked back to the kitchen. People inside had anxious looks on their faces… I did not like that look…. The winemaker broke the silence…. I froze. He said the jar was dry… I couldn’t believe what I heard. In spite of the dancing and loud noises all around, these words echoed in my ears.
Wine cannot be immediately prepared and the wedding was only half way through. But I didn’t understand… I’m sure I got the quantity right and it’s no use shouting at the helpers… it was not their fault. I was in…..big trouble. I’m a slave…. I don’t have rights. For blunders like this, scavenger animals would be eating my headless body tomorrow outside the city gates. Somehow I had to draw the courage the go and tell the chief slave servant.
He was not in a good mood. He had just been scolded by the mistress for not receiving an important guest well. Actually it wasn’t his fault but he was still scolded by the mistress. I know how you feel when she scolds you. I whispered in his ears the bad news about the wine….. All hell broke loose…. he started a big commotion inside the kitchen. He was about to strangle me when the other slaves came and pulled him away from me and pushed him inside. I was shivering and I sat on a stool. A small part of the crowd was distracted due to the commotion, but really didn’t bother. Actually…. One lady did come inside. She saw me sitting and came to me, knelt down and asked me what was wrong. I turned and looked at her… she was very graceful, full of peace and looked around 50 years old. I don’t understand what made me tell her my problem but at the state I was, I told her everything without any expressions. She smiled at me, took me by my hand and I just followed her. I wasn’t in a mood to ask her where she was taking me. Even as she walking with me, she said something about taking me to her son. Who could her son be??? One more wine maker from the next town?? And how much would he have stored for a rainy day?? And how would we be able to transport enough quantity even if he had sufficient amounts soon enough to serve everyone?? It is pointless even to think about these things… so much for a hero….
Even as these thought were going through my mind, I found myself standing before this man. He had a serene look, tall, fair …but so what? I saw few men around him. They were rough and crude. From my experience living in Cana, most of them looked like ….. ordinary fishermen. Even as I saw them, I heard one of them point to this lady and tell the person standing next to him, that she was the mother the Tall man.
Strange, I just heard that man call the lady –“woman”. A son does not call his mother “Lady”?? And He softly spoke to her…something about His time not yet there…it was crazy.. This lady turned around and looked me in the eye and sternly told me “ Do as He tells you to do”. I turned and saw Him. His eye caught me. There was so much grace, love, peace and…. Lots of power….something sparked inside me. He lovingly put His arms around me, pointed to the jars outside and said, “Fill it with water and start serving it to the people”. What!! Things were getting crazier by the minute. Those jars are used to store water used for washing the feet and they are always kept outside… they are dirty. What will people say if they find out these jars were used to store wine? And….they don’t even have wine in them!! Even as these thoughts were running in my mind, I looked at Him again. Some divine peace spoke inside me “Peace, all will turn out good”.
I am not sure if was out of desperation or out of instinct…I don’t know, I just ordered some boys to do what He said. I too ran and started filling the jars with water. We added six jars till no more water could be filled in them. This man and the men around Him watched us filling in the water. Even the men standing with Him were murmuring something among themselves.. I could read their thoughts…what is going to happen?? It looks like madness.
And slowly we could feel the crowd grow restless, as they were not getting the wine they ordered for. We had to act fast. The master suddenly came to me and asked to keep the wine moving, people were complaining. I looked at this Man again. He calmly nodded His head and asked me to go ahead. With shivering hands, I took a jar of wine to the master. Every step I took made me feel as though I was walking to my end. I did not dare to look inside the jar, it’s only water. I was hoping that he would be too drunk to realize the difference. My steps were small and very slow and suddenly, I was standing before the master. I extended my hand half-heartedly, gave it him and stepped back. I just had time to turn around and look at this man. He smiled and that divine peace only filled me again. I could almost hear Him tell me “ Trust me my dear child”.
And suddenly, I was startled by the loud drunk voice of the master of the banquet calling for the groom. I shut my eyes. Did he find out that it’s only water? I turned around and looked at the man again. Whenever I see Him there’s peace and the next moment I look at the jar, I freeze. It would be very insulting to serve someone so big with water, when they asked for wine. A wedding for my master’s son and for me, my funeral. Everyone turned silent and looked at him. He spoke out, “ Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests had too much to drink, but you ….you have save the best till now….” I couldn’t believe my ears even as the crowd started cheering the announcement of the arrival of the new wine. Orders started pouring for more wine and my team and me were all running around serving the wine. Then suddenly, I stopped and thought about that man. I ran everywhere trying to see Him and….I don’t know…I have to thank Him,...ask Him how HE did it.. and…somehow repay Him….it’s impossible…Water into WINE! How is that possible?? I don’t know but He did it and I couldn’t see Him anymore, or that woman. All that I could find out about Him was that His name is JESUS …and…. He is the hero of the day…..no….the Superhero of my life…
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