Meditation on the Wedding Feast at Cana

A lesson from Mary’s Motherhood and Faith:

Meditation on the Wedding Feast at Cana

“Do whatever He tells you”

The one who said to the Angel, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord,” declaring herself to be at the service of the Lord, now tells the disciples, also to put their whole lives at the service of the Lord, - “do whatever he tells you!”

The principal teacher of the school of Nazareth, showing great confidence in what her son and student can do, now tells the disciples, “do whatever he tells you.” The one who from the very beginning of her life, consecrated herself to the Lord, and as mother of the son of God, and of the church, will forever be at the service of the Lord, now teaches the disciples how to be at the service of the Lord. The faithful servant of God is one who always is ready to do God’s will. This mother and teacher of divine wisdom is always looking out for the needy, and as mother, she is always interceding for her children in the presence of God. “They have no wine,” she says to him. To save them from embarrassment, she quickly runs to the one who she knows can do all things. She is always attentive to the needs of others. Like the eyes of the mother always on her children.

“Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come?” the intercessor is met with a confusing answer! What hour is he talking about? Mother persists in her confidence, even though, as her son says, the hour is not yet, she knows he will, at least, do something now. So, she tells the disciples to “do whatever he tells them to do.”

St. Jerome says in his commentary, that the hour, of which Jesus speaks, refers to his passion, death, and resurrection. This is the hour Jesus will spend hanging on the Cross as the true bridegroom, and Mary will stand at the foot of the Cross as the woman, in the place of the Church, the Bride of Christ. The hour when the heart of Jesus will be pierced, and the children of the Church will draw water from the everlasting streams of salvation. The Holy sacrifice of Mass is that hour. The hour when we stand at the foot of the Altar and witness the supreme act of love. The hour when the wedding guests will consume the bridegroom in the form of bread and wine. When the Passover lamb is sacrificed and consumed, so that love may draw forth love. The hour when Mary’s vocation will be sealed as an everlasting intercessor, and as mother forever. For, now she must assume completely the role of mother for all eternity.

Behold this brave and faithful woman who embraced her vocation to the fullest. Behold our Mother, the school where we all have to learn to be faithful servants of God. See how at the foot of the Cross, the conversation between Mother and Son, which started at Cana, now continues, and comes alive. See how Mother stretches forth her soul, putting her supreme will to accept this mission to which she is called. This sweetest but strongest of women takes into her bosom, the infant church, her children. Those tender words, “they have no wine” will forever remain at her lips. Behold, the handmaid of the Lord, the true and faithful servant, the ever-Virgin Mother who teaches us and invites us to “do whatever her son tells us to do.” Let us take comfort in this supreme example of Mary our Mother, and always heed her sweet and tender words, “Do whatever he tells you.”