Listen to Your Mama

Yesterday's Gospel reading, the wedding at Cana, is one of my favorites:

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” 

Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it.  

And 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 and 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.” 

Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

 Beautiful right?  Here are a few reasons why this passage affects me on such a deep level:

1. It is a rare portrayal of Christ's personal life.  He was with His family.  With His friends.  Before He was a public figure.  And He was celebrating a wedding.  Two thousand years later, thousands of miles away, this is something we still do.  It reminds me of His human nature, which I so often forget.  (Might I add that if you have a significant other that doesn't like to go to weddings, this could be a great motivator: "Even Christ went to weddings!")
2. What a beautiful tribute to Christian marriage.  This is a common reading at weddings for a reason.  As a single Man, Christ Himself is not often associated with marriage, but here He is, celebrating the union between a man and woman.  Not only that, He is so moved by compassion for the bride and groom who ran out of wine that He turns the water into wine so that the celebration may continue.  Obviously He believed that it was worth celebrating late into the night! 
3. It perfectly explains Catholics' reverence for the Blessed Mother.  In his homily yesterday, the priest said, "Perhaps the Blessed Mother knew Jesus better than He knew himself. He thought He wasn't ready for His public ministry. She knew otherwise."  Mary did not disappear from the story of our salvation the moment Christ was born.  Here she is, the mother of an adult Child, still guiding Him in God's plan.  Mary asked, Jesus obeyed.  That's why we seek Mary's guidance and intercession.  A dutiful Son in eternity, Christ will deny His mother nothing.  Mary also leads others to Christ.  How hauntingly powerful are her words, "Do whatever He tells you."  Yes, Mama, I will.   

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