The Wine of Life
Music by Ron KlusmeierWords by Walter Farquharson
Tune Name: BATTLEFORD
Lyrics as Poetry
The wine of life is running low,
the celebration stales;
The guests are growing restless,
their joy and laughter pales.
Your hour, Christ, has surely come
to liven up this space,
Our world has lost its purpose,
Disaster claims the race.•For bombs and missiles threaten
and hope is laid to rest;
The rich oppress the needy,
the selfish claim the best.
When scheming’s been exhausted
and armored strength’s no cure,
Will you provide a better wine
that sparkles clear and pure?•“The best for last is treasured,”
earth’s guests and stewards cry;
Come, Jesus, grace our feasting
and do not pass us by.
For at this global wedding
where all of us have place,
We’d celebrate your presence
’til earth has owned your grace.
Words by
Walter FarquharsonCopyright © 1981 by Walter Farquharson
Administered by Hope Publishing Company
Carol Stream, Illinois • USA
Audio Sample: Piano
One verse played by Ron Klusmeier
Scripture References
- Psalm 104:10-16
- Psalm 145:8-21
- Psalm 147:1-14
- John 2:1-11
- Revelation 21:1-6
- Revelation 22:17, 20
Season, Theme
or Subject
- Celebration
- Christ
- Commitment, Dedication
- Confession
- Feast, Feasting
- Heal, Healing
- Justice, Human Rights
- Liberation
- Life∶ living life
- Life∶ loving life
- Peace
- Renewal
- Spirit
- Wholeness
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Comments About Song
BY WALTER FARQUHARSON
Jesus went to a friend’s wedding at Cana of Galilee. The festivities were well under way when one of the stewards of the feast sounded the alarm, “We’ve run out of wine.” According to the story, Mary prevailed upon Jesus to do something about it. Despite Jesus’ own protests that his hour hadn’t yet come, a miracle is performed. Great jugs of water are turned into excellent wine. “Amazing,” say the guests, “usually we serve the best wine first when people’s discretionary powers are at their best. Today we get the best wine served at the end of the feast.”
Many interesting theories and interpretations are available for this story. Yet the meaning is clear enough. Just as John will have us understand clearly that Jesus who feeds the multitude is the real bread of life that nourishes and even satisfies totally, here John is saying that Jesus is the wine that truly gladdens the hearts of those who see and know who Jesus is. Jesus, as God in our midst, is the host, the giver of life at the banquet of a New Age.
We are all guests at the banquet of life. We are revellers, celebrators. But it is increasingly difficult to keep up the cheerful facade. Things are in a mess — bombs and missiles threaten, the rich oppress the needy. This becomes an even worse indictment when we come to know that we in North America are numbered among the oppressors. Treaties are broken, intrigues follow intrigues, superpowers foment trouble around the world just to embarrass one another, any power-crazed individual anywhere can threaten to blow up a subway, a parliament, a telephone booth or mailbox and have instant international coverage. The situation is desperate. We need help. Sharing Mary’s holy impatience, we beg Jesus to do something — and do it now.
We do not know what the sign will be. It may have already been given. Perhaps it is a child’s letter. It may be the marches and vigils that call attention to earth’s suicidal pact with nuclear weaponry. It is somehow, always, in bread and body broken, and in wine and life given. Our call as church, as faith community, as Christians, is to celebrate, to actualize the presence of Christ in the midst of our global wedding feast — until the whole earth and all the peoples of the earth know where they are and to whom they belong.