Be dressed ready for service. I have been a maid for a long time, and I am no longer young, but I have never known an employer to be so loving and generous as mine were. I knew that I will never find a fairer master or mistress than those I kept the house for, but when they returned from Cana, they became the kindest and most loving people I knew.
They trusted me to protect the house when they were away from time to time, and on this occasion the master of the house had left for the wedding days ago, with his retinue. Those who remained were becoming despondent as our master delayed his return. For some it seemed to be a waste of energy to continue with all the household tasks when no one was there to notice if floors were swept or linens washed and replaced.
Faithfully and Diligently
I had served the family for years by this time and known the master before his own marriage. Soon afterwards his mother died and when the young mistress took on the charge of the women and the household, I promised to attend to all her wishes and to care for her faithfully and diligently. I stayed close to her in her time of trial when two of her babies died before seeing the daylight. On the second occasion I thought we would lose her too and I sat beside her for three nights. I saw my master wracked with grief and anxiety then, and I knew I would never fail him as long as I had the strength to serve.
So, on that hot morning, when no one thought the master would be traveling, I gathered the women around me and shared my plan. The men wanted to continue their rest, but the maidservants offered to work with me. We washed and cleaned, trimmed lamps and filled oil vessels ready for night fall. Tables were set with fresh fruit, perfumed oils set out beside them and then we all went to bathe, dress and stand ready.
Keep your lamps burning
We waited for two hours, as we stood in the lamp light, menservants and maids. We heard the party arriving, arriving at last by night! Then a knock came, and the men pulled back the door to admit the master and his wife and those servants who followed them.
They were so pleased to see their home waiting for them and their menservants and maids, washed and dressed to wait on them. The exhaustion of the last few hours fell away from us, and we prepared to bring out food. But my mistress laid her hand on me and whispered into my ear and then my master spoke.
“My men and maidservants, God bless you and keep you because you have been faithful. It is so good to find you watching as we return. And now I ask you to come and recline at the table and I will come and wait on you.”
He will dress himself to serve
We stood quite still for a moment until he stepped forward and took my hand. Gently he led me to the table I had set out just a little while ago and drew out a couch. The cups and dishes sparkled in the light of the lamps on the table. He beckoned to the others, and everyone moved quickly towards the feast, but it was my lady who reclined beside me and poured wine into my cup. I have never tasted wine so good as the wine she poured out for me, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed with joy.
“Let me tell you about the wedding” she whispered …
And our lives were never the same after that meal.
