gospels

There is an old saying – well, not as old as Jesus’ time on earth, but an adage that might be a good title for a talk on the Wedding at Cana: “Women take care; men take charge.”  Mary took care of the problem of the young couple whose wedding planner miscalculated the amount of wine needed for the after-party.  Mary took care and put Jesus in charge.  The significance of her directive to the wine servers resounds down through the years – “Do whatever He tells you!”  The challenge to us is to hear what He says; what He tells us individually and as a community.

You may notice that, (like some other places in Scripture) in this particular story, Mary is not mentioned by name; the writer simply says, “The mother of Jesus was there.”  There is a current ZOOM webinar entitled: “Women Erased.”  The series offers online presentations that uncover the many ways women’s leadership, witness, and ministries have been erased from Scriptures and our Lectionary [https://www.futurechurch.org/women-erased-series]  These are women who are referred to, but never afforded the dignity of being named – “The wife of; the mother of “ … etc.

There is no parallel report of this miracle at Cana in the other three Gospels.  It seems significant that John included the story – about Jesus and his disciples at a wedding – at a PARTY!  The occasion of the very first miracle Jesus performs?  Of all that Jesus said and did in his three years of ministry, this is the first – Jesus at a party, turning water into wine (and not communion-size wine but party-size wine!)

John must have kept his eye on Mary whenever he was in her company.  Even after Jesus’ death, at Jesus’ behest he took Mary into his home and heart until her own death.  Though in relating this story he does not call her by name, he must have been deeply touched by her keen observation.  She discretely and gently offered a tip, a hint to Jesus so as not to embarrass her hosts or the wedding planner.  And, she was comfortable staying in the background.

She steps aside once she points out to Jesus the awkward situation that the absence of wine could create.  Her exemplary discretion and timing pay huge dividends.  Jesus responds by getting involved in a BIG WAY – those six jugs of wine could fill close to 900 table bottles.  That’s a lot of wine, even for a wedding party that could have lasted a week.  And, was it the guests’ imagination – isn’t this wine better than the wine served earlier?!  After the Last Supper, did folks recall this miracle when Jesus said, “Take and eat, this is my body.  Take and drink, this is by blood.”  Does the story help us accept the magnitude of the miracle of the loaves and fish, the gift of the Eucharist?

Jesus’ lavish response to a simple human need is a vision for us of the abundance of God’s kingdom.  It challenges us to respond generously when confronted with everyday human need.  We respond as best we can.  Sometimes, often, it is directly.  But at other times we know who to contact or a referral we can make and let those who are more skilled or have access to a wider array of services to respond to the expressed need.  We step back, fully confident that in such cases I am an instrument in God’s hands, I am not God.  Others can better transform my efforts in bringing the Kingdom of God to fulfillment among us.

As Paul reminds us in the Second Reading, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, there are different forms of service but the same Lord, different workings but the same God who produces all of them.”  A recent example of this is the gift from the Knights of Columbus who donated over $1000 in grocery gift cards.  They only passed through our hands but we did not purchase them.  We were only the distributors of the Knights’ generosity to Daystar Food Bank recipients.

Later on in John’s gospel, he will remind us that “Jesus did many other miraculous signs, which are not recorded in this book.”  What we do have in the Gospels was written that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  And, that by believing we might have life in His name.”

As we reflect on this wedding story, let us seek to heed our Mother Mary’s directive -“Do whatever he tells you.”  Hold that thought side by side with John’s exhortation “believe that you may have life in Jesus’ name.”  And give voice to the words of the Responsorial Psalm – “Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.”

~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

First Reading:   Isaiah 62:1-5         Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Gospel:   John 2:1-11