On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in
Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus
also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples.
When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to
him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her,
“O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour
has not yet come.” His mother said
to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now six stone jars were
standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification,
each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to
them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them
up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out,
and take it to the steward of the feast.” So they took
it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now
become wine, and did not know where it came from
(though the servants who had drawn the water knew),
the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and
said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first;
and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine;
but you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the
first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and
manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in
him. (John 2:1-11)
Prayer
We fly to your patronage,
O holy Mother of God;
Despise not our prayers in our necessities,
But ever deliver us from all dangers,
O glorious and blessed Virgin.
Reflection
The first explicit mention of the Mother of Jesus in
St. John’s Gospel is at a wedding feast. Mary arrived
at the week-long celebration before Jesus. When he
arrived Mary immediately brought him a concern:
They have no wine. She wanted everyone, especially
the newlyweds and their families and friends, to enjoy
the Wedding celebration. Certainly Mary felt the
embarrassment of the young couple and was confident
in bringing their need to Jesus. He responded to her
intercession – yes, this is a powerful instance of Mary’s
maternal mediation. Changing water into wine, Jesus
performed the first great miracle of his public ministry.
St. John notes that Jesus acted to witness to his
divinity for the Apostles: This, the first of his signs,
Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory;
and his disciples believed in him. Before the miracle
the Apostles thought of Jesus as a rabbi, a kind of
professor of Torah. Seeing the water turn into wine
before their eyes, the Apostles experienced Jesus’ glory
as Messiah and Lord and began to believe in him. By
her intercession, Mary obtained saving faith for those
chosen to be the first priests of the Church. Mary, even
then, understood her right to bring every human and
spiritual need into the presence of her Son. Then in
Cana, and now in Heaven, the Mother of God desires
her Son to reveal his power as Messiah and Lord of all
creation and to save his people.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church connects the
first miracle of Jesus and the Sacrament of Matrimony:
On the threshold of his public life Jesus performs his
first sign – at his mother’s request – during a wedding
feast. The Church attaches great importance to Jesus’
presence at the wedding at Cana. She sees in it the
confirmation of the goodness of marriage and the
proclamation that thenceforth marriage will be an
efficacious sign of Christ’s presence (CCC 1613).
Mary in Heaven continues to bring the human and
spiritual needs of families into the radius of Christ’s
messianic power.
Prayer
Mother Mary, at Cana you showed that you are the
mother of many children. You understood the pain
felt by the poor and turned to your Son for help. Filled
with the Spirit of God, you also wanted Jesus’ Apostles
to share your faith in him. You understood that the
absence of faith is the worst poverty any person ever
experiences. You also knew that only God can give the
gift of faith. Bringing these needs to Jesus in prayer, rich
wine flowed through the small village of Cana and the
strong wine of faith flooded the hearts of the Apostles.
Mary, we all have needs, great and small. We are poor
in material resources and in spiritual goods. We beg
you to bring all of our needs to Jesus. You never ask
for anything that will harm your children. Jesus never
refuses any request you bring to him. Pray especially
for our families that are torn apart by marital infidelity,
domestic violence, flaws in parental love, and the pain
caused by contraception, sterilization, and abortion.
Help all to understand that the Sacrament of Matrimony
was instituted by your Son so that man and wife, in
loving one another, may encounter his grace and bring
forth children for the kingdom. Pray for your sons and
daughters who bear the heavy burden of same-sex
attraction. Help them discover the freedom chastity
imparts and its beauty. Mary, pray that our families may
live in harmony and love as you lived with Jesus and
Joseph in your home in Nazareth. Mary, we need you to
be our mother, the mother of all families. Amen.