A MEDITATION ON THE WEDDING FEAST AT CANA

The significance of the Wedding Feast at Cana is announced in the typical way that anything of special notice is announced in the Bible.  The story begins with three simple words -- "On the third day."  Whenever you read those words in the Bible, be aware that something special or important is about to happen. This time it is the first miracle performed by Jesus which came about as the result of his mother Mary's concern for the groom.  This foreshadows her motherly concern to all of God's children, who became her children when Jesus, dying on the cross, bequeathed them to her when he said to her and the disciple he loved, "Woman, behold your son, Son, behold your Mother!"  This request of his mother further foreshadows the role that Mary plays as a special intercessor between us and Jesus.  

The story of the Wedding Feast at Cana begins with the introduction of the guests in attendance, Mary, the mother of Jesus as well as Jesus and some of his new disciples.  Those disciples were most likely the brothers, Peter and Andrew, and the "Sons of Thunder", James and John, the very first to be called by Jesus to follow him.  During the wedding celebration, Mary notices that the supply of wine is running low and she is concerned for the groom whose responsibility it was to have enough wine.  The lack of wine would be an embarrassment for the groom, because the act of “hospitality” was a very important relationship in the Jewish culture.  

Mary, knowing her son well, went up to Jesus and whispered in his ear:

“They have no wine.”

And Jesus replied:

“Woman, what is that to me?  My hour has not yet come.”

Now, Mary could have reacted like a typical mother, in response to what sounds like a very irreverent remark.  Fortunately for us, Mary was not the typical mother; she knew her son and where his heart was.  To understand what Mary knew, let's take a look at what Jesus says and analyze it.

 

“Woman, what is that to me?”

“Woman” was the name Adam gave Eve at her creation. God used Adam’s rib to form Eve to show that they were actually the same created being, two halves of a whole.  The female was not created as a separate being, second to the male.  She was formed as part of the initial man in order to be a “helper suitable” for the male.  By God using one of Adam’s ribs, Eve was brought into being to strengthen and powerfully help Adam.  She was made from the same “stuff” and she was every bit as perfect a creation as man and every bit as patterned after God’s image and likeness.

“My HOUR has not yet come.”

At that moment, as Jesus spoke these words, Mary knew her Son was beginning his public life.  "My HOUR", meant his reason for being -- Jesus' passion, death, resurrection and ascension; our redemption from sin. She knew that by calling her “Woman” he was letting her know her part in salvation history.  She was the New Eve, and He was the New Adam.  Let's recall these words from Genesis:

"I will put enmity between you and the woman,

 and between your offspring and hers;

 He will strike at you head,

 while you strike at his heel." Gen 3:15

These are the words God spoke to the serpent after the Fall of Man.  Woman, meant Eve, (Mary) and her offspring was Jesus. This is the fulfillment of God's promise of redemption.

Mary’s gaze met Jesus' and they looked deep into each other’s eyes.  She gently moved her hand towards his face and cupped his cheek with her palm and they both smiled at each other. Her acceptance of this role as the New Eve is proclaimed in the very last words scripture records from her as Mary tells the servants at the wedding: 

 “Do whatever HE tells you!” 

These words are very similar to the very last words God the Father pronounces in sacred scripture at the Transfiguration near the end of Jesus’ public life: 

“This is my beloved son, Listen to HIM!” 

This is very simple and amazing advice from our heavenly parents on how to live our lives.  Hear what Jesus says, LISTEN, and follow him. 

Always obedient to his mother’s wishes, Jesus goes to the servants and tells them to fill the six 30-gallon jars that were used for the purification ceremonies with plain water and, obeying him, they fill them to the brim.  After that Jesus tells them to bring a cup of the water to the chief wine steward and he, after tasting it, proclaims it to be the best wine he had ever tasted. Jesus’s disciples were the only other people who witnessed this act and, after seeing this, they began to believe in him.

This was Jesus’s first miracle, where he answers his mother’s request with the most abundant graces beyond all expectations. Not only did he make more wine, but they were overflowing in wine and it was the best quality wine to be served.  When Jesus responds to requests, especially from his mother, he responds with overflowing love and abundance. 

In his last miracle at the Last Supper, he performs another miracle of transformation when he changes bread into his most holy body and wine into his most holy blood.  An everlasting gift of overflowing love and abundance, "His Presence" to all who believe in him — the gift of “Emmanuel” — “God is with us”!   A gift we Catholics can receive daily in the Holy Eucharist.

At the wedding feast, Jesus used water that was used for the purification of the body; in his last miracle the wine turned into his blood has become the purification of our hearts and souls.

Jesus could have just made the wine from nothing, just as he created the world from nothing, but instead he uses people as a part of his miracles. The servants filling the jars with water symbolize our obedience to his word and our giving something of ourselves that need to be transformed.  Showing us that we should not just sit back and pray and wait for God to change us or give us what we need.  We must bring something to our transformation; we are partners in God’s work.

Because Jesus used a wedding as the occasion of his first miracle, it adds a deeper, special meaning to the act of marriage.  Remember the use of the word "Woman" by Jesus.  It recalls the story of the creation of Eve, which ends with the verse "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body." (Gen 2:24)  Marriage is not just promises to love, honor and be faithful.  Marriage is a sacrament and it is a love covenant between the Bride and Groom and God — just as the relationship of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is a covenant of love.  In both covenants the members are considered “one”— separate persons, but one being.  In both, the members are the actors of creation as a result of the love they have for each other.  

So, the Wedding Feast at Cana was indeed an important event.  The roles of Jesus and his mother are spelled out.  The importance of Mary in our lives is alluded to.  The meaning of discipleship is underlined, to believe, to witness, to listen, and to follow Jesus as the disciples in attendance did and as we should do.  And, to know that Jesus wants to give us what we need with an overabundance of love.  

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