The Wedding at Cana

Today's Reflections

The Wedding at Cana 

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Jn 2:1-11

¹On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ²Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. ³When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴[And] Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” ⁶Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. ⁷Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. ⁸Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. ⁹And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom ¹⁰and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

Reflection:

They have no wine. The changing of water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana is the beginning of the signs by which Jesus reveals the glory of God. It is significant that Jesus does it with the involvement of his Mother, Mary. He wants to associate her with his saving work. She brings to her Son’s attention the need of the couple and the people: “They have no wine.” Without saying so in so many words, she asks him to do something about it. And Jesus does, even if initially he seems to refuse because his hour has not yet come.

We can see here Mary’s role in the mystery of our salvation. She is called “Woman” by Jesus. This links her to the woman whom God made the enemy of the serpent (Satan), and whose seed (son) would crush the serpent’s head. “Woman” also connects her to the woman who gives birth to the messiah but appears as a great sign in the sky, “clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rv 12:1ff). Mary is addressed by Jesus as “woman” when his hour of glorification by crucifixion arrives. “Woman” thus identifies Mary as the companion of Jesus, the Savior of the world, closely united with him in his saving work.

Mary not only intercedes for people with Jesus but directs them to Jesus: “Do whatever he tells you.” Mary does not want to take people’s attention away from her Son. She always points to Jesus. She is a great sign directing all to Jesus.

Jesus associates us with his saving work.

Like Mary, let us intercede for the needs of people

especially at Sunday and daily Mass.

Like Mary, let us bring people to Jesus.