Wedding Problems in Cana
...and who to ask to solve them
Today, as we celebrate the Wedding at Cana, we mark the third manifestation of the “Epiphany”.
Almost two weeks ago, we celebrated the Epiphany, the first manifestation that Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is God. The Magi acknowledged and adored Our Lord, Jesus Christ as God.
In some chapels last week, we saw that “The Father was well pleased” with His Son when St. John the Baptist baptized Jesus at the River Jordan. The second manifestation.
Today we witness the third manifestation of Our Lord’s glory as the Son of God when He performs His first miracle:
…changing the water into wine at the wedding of Cana.
Our Blessed Mother, so considerate of the welfare of others and her complete faith in her Son, appeals to Jesus.
Our Lord protests, “My hour is not yet come.”
Mary instructs the servants.
The servants fill the pots with water.
Jesus turns the water into the wine.
And not just any wine.
The Best wine.
Soon there will be another wedding.
My sixth and last child is getting married this year. She and her fiance’ asked if they could have their reception on our property.
“Of course, Honey,” my wife and I said.
Immediately we started planning.
Who is catering? Who is playing the music? How many people can we invite? Where should we put the dance floor? Should we have more than one bar to serve cocktails?
The list of things to do keeps getting larger.
I hope it all works out but what if we don’t have enough food? Or the weather doesn’t hold out?
What if we run out of wine?
Don’t you think the blessed couple at Cana had their organizing issues?
That they planned this wedding just as we’re planning my daughter’s? Think of how embarrassed they’d be, how embarrassed we’d be if we were not properly prepared.
BUT…..Sometimes, for one reason or another, things don’t go as planned.
Our Blessed Mother trustfully turns to her son after she is told,
“They have no more wine.”
Jesus “sees” His Passion after hearing her concern and knows very well this miracle will set the gears in motion for His Crucifixion. He subtly points this out to His Mother.
“My time is not yet come.”
Mary, with complete, calm abandonment to her Son’s will, asks the servants to do whatever He tells them. A mother’s heart…..
They obey immediately.
Jesus changes the substance of the water into the substance of wine.
What are we to make of this?
Is it a prefiguration of the priestly actions on the sacred altars throughout the world, changing water and wine into the Body, Blood, Soul & Divinity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ?
Is it the fact that Our Lord cannot resist His love for Our Blessed Mother?
Maybe it has to do with our complete abandonment to God’s Will, as the servants did with their obedience to the Blessed Mother in “doing whatever He tells you."
Your meditations can rise in many fruitful directions.
But, if you are so inclined to meditate on today’s mystery while red wine sipping,
……ask Our Blessed Mother to always keep my daughter, Mary, and her fiance’, Karl close to her Son.
…..And to make sure they supply the very best wine. ;)