The Wedding Feast at Cana

Gospel of John

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

I’m sure we all know the story from here - the water that Jesus turned into wine was so beautiful that the head chef asked why the best wine had been saved till last. There is so much meaning in this passage from John’s Gospel. It links to celebration, marriage, the eucharist, and the death and resurrection of Jesus. 

But what of Mary’s role? She asks Jesus to look after a situation and he says that his time has not come  - to perform miracles,  presumably. Undeterred, Mary says to the servants: “Do whatever he tells you.”

As a Christian, it is not strictly necessary to have a devotion to Mary. But if we do take notice of Mary in the scriptures I think she spells out her role right here: “Do whatever he tells you”. She is reminding us to follow the words and actions of Jesus. This reminder is one good reason to have a devotion to Mary.

October is the month of the Rosary, the traditional prayer that Catholics pray while they are meditating on aspects of the life of Christ.  Pope John Paul II added the Luminous Mysteries to the Rosary - and one of those is the Wedding at Cana. As we pray for the many needs of our family, our College and our world, as well as the Year 12 Cohort of 2021, let us recall the words of Mary: “Do whatever he tells you.”

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

- Mr Steve O’Neill