Second Sunday Mother Mary and the wedding at Cana
“Do whatever he tells you to do.”
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
There are two great wedding feasts found in the New Testament, one being the wedding feast of Cana and the other being what the bible refers to as “The Wedding Feast of the Lamb”, namely the Last Supper. The first wedding banquet opens the gospel of St. John -- the second closes it.
Responding to His mother’s request at Cana’s wedding banquet, Jesus declares that His “hour” has not yet come. Nevertheless He acts, changing water into rich wine. At the close of His life His “hour” comes in its fullness beginning with the Last Supper, whereupon He changes the wine into His Precious Blood.
Besides Jesus, his mother and disciples were also invited to the wedding. The Virgin Mary, even at this early stage, showed us that she always thinks of others and that she is very observant. She told her Son, “They have no wine.” The Lord had not decided yet to do things in public. So he said to her, “It is still not my hour.” But the Virgin knew that he would not deny her request. Surely, she was worried about the newlywed couple that, almost at the beginning of the feast, had already found themselves without wine for their guests. In the Middle East, when a feast is held, they like to ensure that nothing is wanting, that everything is abundantly available, that there is no lack of food or drink. The banquets, even among the people who are not well off, are sumptuous. How embarrassing it would be for this young couple to begin their lives together if they could not provide sufficient food and drink for their guests. And, on this occasion, if the problem with the wine was not resolved, the family would be very embarrassed. And that is what the Blessed Virgin saw. She had to ask her Son to do something. She was sure that he would resolve the problem. So she told the servants “Do what he asks you to do.” The Lord himself told us that whatever we ask for in his name would be given to us. He always gives much more than we ask for and much more than we deserve.
At the wedding feast of Cana the importance of the intercession of the Virgin Mary is highlighted.
The Bible calls on all of us to offer prayers, petitions, intercessions and acts of thanksgiving to God (1Timothy 2:1). In reality, whenever we pray for someone else we act as mediators for them before Our Lord. And that is what the Virgin Mary does when she asks her Son to help us. The Virgin Mary, because she is the Mother of God, because she lived a life of total dedication and faith, and because she is closely united with her Son in heaven, is the Mediatrix, par excellence, between Him and humanity. Love’s transforming power can change anything and everything. If we respond to love and allow it into our hearts and souls we become changed persons. If we let God’s love loose in our world the world we live in would be changed – transformed. All that we’ve watered down would be turned into rich and tasty wine.
But if you want any miracle in your life, if you find out and realize your wine in your life is run out. To get it filled you have to believe in His words and you have to act upon what he asks of you to do. We must respond to God’s initiative. God has offered – nothing will happen unless and until we respond. God provides everything in abundance. He won’t just give what is enough for you but you will have it in abundance but only if you allow Him to act in your life. Jesus just won’t open the door and come in unless we invite him to come in as we read from the revelation 3:20. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me”.
Look at the extraordinary quantity of water that Jesus transformed into wine. Let’s say the six water jars each held 25 gallons of water, that’s 150 imperial gallons—turn that into liters. There’s 75 centiliters in a bottle, so multiply by a hundred and divide by 75. It works out at over 900 bottles of wine! God provides in abundance. Have trust in Him. HE will provide.
A more fascinating question arising from the story is this: Did Mary knows all those thirty years she lived with Jesus that she was living with a wonder-worker and yet never she asks him to multiply her bread, turn the water on the dining table into wine, or double her money to make ends meet? How come she never asked Jesus to use his miraculous power to help her out but she was quick to ask him to use it and help others? Think of it. If you have a child who has a miraculous power to double money for other kids at school, won't you ask him to double yours at home too? After all, one would argue, charity begins at home. But for Mary and for Jesus the needs of the other come first. That is our Mother Mary. That is why we ask her help.
This is telling us that God's gifts to individuals are not meant primarily for their or their families' benefit but for the service of others. That is what St Paul also tells us in the second reading when he enumerates the many different gifts of the Holy Spirit to different persons and adds that "to each person is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good," (1 Corinthians 12:6) not for personal profit.
Today, then, is a good day to ask ourselves: "What gifts has God given me? Am I using these gifts mainly for my own personal profit or for the service of others in the community?" We sometimes wonder why there is no life in the church. There are some people who won’t use their gifts and will not allow others to use their gifts. Maybe the reason is that we have grown more selfish. If we began using the little gifts we have for the common good -- like the gift of praying, singing, teaching, caring, sharing, encouraging, supporting, motivating, writing, etc. -- then these gifts will probably begin to grow and soon we will begin to see miracles. Concern for others is the beginning of miracles. Why we do not see any miracles, because we are selfish people and we are not concerned of others.
If you took a class in physics, you may remember that there are two kinds of energy: potential energy and kinetic energy. Potential energy is stored in a non-moving object. This would be your gift. The potential is only of use when it is put into motion. So how do we get all this potential here at St. Stephen’s to get moving? Or in another way, we are all on a journey, but we must move in order to get somewhere.
There is no greater helper for you in all of this than She who said at Cana: “do whatever He tells you.” She brought Jesus to Cana; she saw the needs of the newly-wed. She is still the same Mary. She has the same concern for all of us. Her advice is still the same: “do whatever He tells you.”
Let her not be a stranger to your home or your hearts. Be not strangers to her, and Christ will bring fullness of grace and glory to you, fill your hearts with peace. If Mary is present in your lives, She will notice all the run out wines in your lives. The lack of love, joy, peace, encouragement, happiness , enthusiasm, being loved , etc. all that you crave for in your life are the run out wine you need to be filled in. Who could fill that in…. only Jesus! If Mary is there for you she will take care of it. Trust in Mary and in Jesus and do what he tells you to do and allow Him to act in your life. If those servants did not believe in Mary and in Jesus there could not have been any miracle. It was their faith, their trust that brought miracles to them. Have trust in Him and do your best and then take rest, the rest He will do for you.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
There are two great wedding feasts found in the New Testament, one being the wedding feast of Cana and the other being what the bible refers to as “The Wedding Feast of the Lamb”, namely the Last Supper. The first wedding banquet opens the gospel of St. John -- the second closes it.
Responding to His mother’s request at Cana’s wedding banquet, Jesus declares that His “hour” has not yet come. Nevertheless He acts, changing water into rich wine. At the close of His life His “hour” comes in its fullness beginning with the Last Supper, whereupon He changes the wine into His Precious Blood.
Besides Jesus, his mother and disciples were also invited to the wedding. The Virgin Mary, even at this early stage, showed us that she always thinks of others and that she is very observant. She told her Son, “They have no wine.” The Lord had not decided yet to do things in public. So he said to her, “It is still not my hour.” But the Virgin knew that he would not deny her request. Surely, she was worried about the newlywed couple that, almost at the beginning of the feast, had already found themselves without wine for their guests. In the Middle East, when a feast is held, they like to ensure that nothing is wanting, that everything is abundantly available, that there is no lack of food or drink. The banquets, even among the people who are not well off, are sumptuous. How embarrassing it would be for this young couple to begin their lives together if they could not provide sufficient food and drink for their guests. And, on this occasion, if the problem with the wine was not resolved, the family would be very embarrassed. And that is what the Blessed Virgin saw. She had to ask her Son to do something. She was sure that he would resolve the problem. So she told the servants “Do what he asks you to do.” The Lord himself told us that whatever we ask for in his name would be given to us. He always gives much more than we ask for and much more than we deserve.
At the wedding feast of Cana the importance of the intercession of the Virgin Mary is highlighted.
The Bible calls on all of us to offer prayers, petitions, intercessions and acts of thanksgiving to God (1Timothy 2:1). In reality, whenever we pray for someone else we act as mediators for them before Our Lord. And that is what the Virgin Mary does when she asks her Son to help us. The Virgin Mary, because she is the Mother of God, because she lived a life of total dedication and faith, and because she is closely united with her Son in heaven, is the Mediatrix, par excellence, between Him and humanity. Love’s transforming power can change anything and everything. If we respond to love and allow it into our hearts and souls we become changed persons. If we let God’s love loose in our world the world we live in would be changed – transformed. All that we’ve watered down would be turned into rich and tasty wine.
But if you want any miracle in your life, if you find out and realize your wine in your life is run out. To get it filled you have to believe in His words and you have to act upon what he asks of you to do. We must respond to God’s initiative. God has offered – nothing will happen unless and until we respond. God provides everything in abundance. He won’t just give what is enough for you but you will have it in abundance but only if you allow Him to act in your life. Jesus just won’t open the door and come in unless we invite him to come in as we read from the revelation 3:20. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me”.
Look at the extraordinary quantity of water that Jesus transformed into wine. Let’s say the six water jars each held 25 gallons of water, that’s 150 imperial gallons—turn that into liters. There’s 75 centiliters in a bottle, so multiply by a hundred and divide by 75. It works out at over 900 bottles of wine! God provides in abundance. Have trust in Him. HE will provide.
A more fascinating question arising from the story is this: Did Mary knows all those thirty years she lived with Jesus that she was living with a wonder-worker and yet never she asks him to multiply her bread, turn the water on the dining table into wine, or double her money to make ends meet? How come she never asked Jesus to use his miraculous power to help her out but she was quick to ask him to use it and help others? Think of it. If you have a child who has a miraculous power to double money for other kids at school, won't you ask him to double yours at home too? After all, one would argue, charity begins at home. But for Mary and for Jesus the needs of the other come first. That is our Mother Mary. That is why we ask her help.
This is telling us that God's gifts to individuals are not meant primarily for their or their families' benefit but for the service of others. That is what St Paul also tells us in the second reading when he enumerates the many different gifts of the Holy Spirit to different persons and adds that "to each person is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good," (1 Corinthians 12:6) not for personal profit.
Today, then, is a good day to ask ourselves: "What gifts has God given me? Am I using these gifts mainly for my own personal profit or for the service of others in the community?" We sometimes wonder why there is no life in the church. There are some people who won’t use their gifts and will not allow others to use their gifts. Maybe the reason is that we have grown more selfish. If we began using the little gifts we have for the common good -- like the gift of praying, singing, teaching, caring, sharing, encouraging, supporting, motivating, writing, etc. -- then these gifts will probably begin to grow and soon we will begin to see miracles. Concern for others is the beginning of miracles. Why we do not see any miracles, because we are selfish people and we are not concerned of others.
If you took a class in physics, you may remember that there are two kinds of energy: potential energy and kinetic energy. Potential energy is stored in a non-moving object. This would be your gift. The potential is only of use when it is put into motion. So how do we get all this potential here at St. Stephen’s to get moving? Or in another way, we are all on a journey, but we must move in order to get somewhere.
There is no greater helper for you in all of this than She who said at Cana: “do whatever He tells you.” She brought Jesus to Cana; she saw the needs of the newly-wed. She is still the same Mary. She has the same concern for all of us. Her advice is still the same: “do whatever He tells you.”
Let her not be a stranger to your home or your hearts. Be not strangers to her, and Christ will bring fullness of grace and glory to you, fill your hearts with peace. If Mary is present in your lives, She will notice all the run out wines in your lives. The lack of love, joy, peace, encouragement, happiness , enthusiasm, being loved , etc. all that you crave for in your life are the run out wine you need to be filled in. Who could fill that in…. only Jesus! If Mary is there for you she will take care of it. Trust in Mary and in Jesus and do what he tells you to do and allow Him to act in your life. If those servants did not believe in Mary and in Jesus there could not have been any miracle. It was their faith, their trust that brought miracles to them. Have trust in Him and do your best and then take rest, the rest He will do for you.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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