(Mathilde Langevin for Unsplash)
"Do whatever he tells you"
John 2: 1-11
The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011925.cfm
Grant us, O Lord, we pray,
that we may participate worthily in these mysteries,
for whenever the memorial of this sacrifice is celebrated
the work of our redemption is accomplished
(Prayer after Offerings)
Wedding celebrations are among the most festive and joyful across cultural boundaries. We begin with the commitment of the bride and groom, hopefully in a context of religious faith of some sort, only to be followed by a grand party that may last anywhere from a few hours or on into the night. I think it clear from the Gospel today that we find ourselves amid a lengthy celebration. In fact, Jewish weddings in Jesus’ time normally continued for several days. Both food and drink needed to be abundant.
Despite the confusion caused by the secular definition
of marriage which prevails today, for us who follow Christ, we hold to what we
have always known and believe Christ himself established. Not because we are
out of touch or stubborn or old fashioned but because we must be faithful to
what God has designed. Marriage is not just about love and emotions, as
beautiful as these are, or not just about a “friend for life” between two
partners but it is a holy covenant of loyalty and faithfulness for life which
reflects Christ and his Church as God has intended it be. The union shared
produces life beyond man and woman; the very nature of Marriage as a Sacrament
implies this.
So, we come to the well-known first of Jesus’ public
miracles during a wedding celebration at Cana in Galilee. Were these relatives
of Jesus at the wedding party? Likely
they were perhaps on Mary’s side of the family.
And of course, the potential for embarrassment on the part of the groom
and bride that the wine has run out was very real. Imagine the awkward position
the couple would have been in if they ran out of wine. Guests would have simply drifted away and
commented on the unprepared couple and families. Certainly, a major embarrassment.
Surrounded by music and joyful laughter, a problem is
identified and the mother of Jesus, Mary, says to him: “They have no more
wine.” It seems Jesus, and some of his disciples, whom the passage indicates
were there, were simply enjoying themselves when Mary approached. Mary who
presented the problem to her son, however, is significant.
In a sense both Jesus and Mary were guests at the
wedding; they were not responsible for the wedding coordination but there to
greet the couple and enjoy the bond of family life. So, why would this be
considered their problem?
How beautifully human and ordinary is this common
situation. Obviously, she felt Jesus could do something about it but was a
miracle in Mary’s mind? We don’t really know other than she felt her son would
be able to address the problem and on a deeper sense felt it was time for him.
Mary brings our concerns to her Son as our spiritual mother and intercessor.
Jesus’ response to Mary’s statement has always been a
point of debate: “Woman, how does your concern affect me? Literally, in the original Greek: “how is
this a concern for you and for me? “My hour has not yet come.” We might say
Jesus is asking his mother – “How does this involve the both of us?”
Mary’s order to the servers is a simple, “Do whatever
he tells you.” And, in fact, those are
the last words we hear from Mary in the Gospels. Yet, they are deeply significant considering
Jesus’ divine nature. She leaves it up
to him to carry this concern forward and from that point he does take charge of
the situation. The water he ordered placed in the jars (180 gallons) all
becomes the finest vintage of wine. Let the party continue! Yet also, Jesus
restores joy that joy may continue, and enters an inseparable bond between
himself, the wedding couple, the guests, and certainly his own mother. All
because they did what he told them to do.
Our trust in the Lord, to follow his lead and direction, is to produce a
life of faithfulness with Christ. Let him take the lead and do what he tells
you.
It’s clear, however, that Jesus was influenced by his
mother’s observation. John may be showing us the influence of Mary as the
public ministry of Jesus began: “All right, son, now it’s time to get on with
this. Here’s your first chance.” Hmm,
how delightfully Jewish! With traditional respect for mothers in the culture,
Jesus could not refuse his mother’s request. Which may indeed tell us something
about the importance of Mary in our spiritual life.
In a deeper connection, it uncovers Jesus desire to enter
into an unbreakable covenant of life and love with us and his Church. He desires to marry, the be the bridegroom of
the Church and to forever form his people in his image that we too may become a
source of or
The book of Isaiah in our first reading speaks of God
desire to take back his people, symbolized by the holy city of Jerusalem, and
to make them his own: “No more shall people call your ‘Forsaken’, or your
land ‘Desolate,’ but you shall be called ‘My Delight’ and your land ‘Espoused.’
For the Lord delights in you and makes you land his spouse.” (Is 62: 1-5)
You spouse is your marriage partner called to loyalty
and love. And so, the same with our God and us.
God will marry his people to himself as a groom
marries a bride. These nuptial images
imply an intimacy of the deepest love and faithfulness. When Christ steps in, things change. And so, Jesus begins his earthly ministry
around a wedding feast at which wine was given and in which a new and forever
covenant is established as he shed his blood and rose from the dead he
established that new and eternal covenant with humanity and broke the bonds of
death and sin to rescue us for himself.
The Gospel should remind us that the earthly ministry
of Jesus will end as it began - with a feast, a supper of sorts at which wine
will be given again as his very life offered for all. A wedding feast to begin
and a Last Supper to end. Both involve
relationships, covenant, wine, feasting, celebration, and a gift. Bread is
changed into Him who offers the transformation of grace. Wine is changed into a living cup of his
presence, and we are invited to that wedding banquet each time we attend Mass. The
feast of the Eucharist is our constant invitation to wed ourselves in an
intimate union between we who are water and Christ who is wine.
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