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The Mediation of Mary at the Wedding in Cana
I love Saturday’s because Saturday is the day for this blog’s posts about the Blessed Virgin Mary. Ave Maria!
As we move into Epiphany, we recall Christ’s first sign at the Wedding in Cana. Christ transubstantiated (and even transaccidentiated) water into the best wine.
Let’s take a look at what Saint John and the Holy Spirit records:
His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye.
Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece. Jesus saith to them: Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And Jesus saith to them: Draw out now and carry to the chief steward of the feast. And they carried it. And when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine and knew not whence it was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water: the chief steward calleth the bridegroom, And saith to him: Every man at first setteth forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But thou hast kept the good wine until now.
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2:5–11, D-R)
The ministry of Christ our Lord begins with “His mother” when she says, “Do whatever he tells you.” The Holy Vulgate has it as: “Quodcumque dixerit vobis, facite.” Many lament, “Why is that Mary appears so little in the New Testament? If she is so important, why is she not on every page?”
I discuss it some in the section on “Saint Paul and the Blessed Virgin Mary” in my book The Catholic Perspective on Paul. In my opinion (and I’m not the magisterium) there are at least three reasons for this.
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Holy persons and holy items are veiled. The meaning of of “apocalypse” is from the Greek apo– “from” and kalyptein “to cover, to veil.” Christ’s reign is currently veiled until the end of time when it will be unveiled, or re-veiled, or apocalypsed. The most holy things are the most hidden. It should be startling that we are experiencing more and more Marian apparitions. In my opinion, it’s a sign of the preparation for…
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Mary is mentioned several times and only at key moments. At the incarnation of Christ. At the birth of Christ. At the circumcision (first blood-shedding of the Messiah), at the presentation in the temple, at Christ’s teaching in the temple, at his first miracle in Cana, then at the foot of the cross, and then at Pentecost, oh, and then again in the Apocalypse.It is as if God uses Mary as His most precious spice. As he prepares the banquet, he uses it sparingly and only for special purposes. Mary is God’s highlighter. He does not highlight ever sentence, only the best lines!
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Lastly, I do not think that Christ and the Holy Ghost wanted her featured too often. If you read the dedicatory of this blog, you might begin to discern this, let the reader understand: “And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:35, D-R) Mary is the secret sign. Mary is the litmus test. Sacred Scripture says that the thoughts of our hearts will be revealed because of Mary. So when you hear someone speak with tenderness about Mary, their heart is revealed. It is a sign. When they lament her sorrows at the cross. It’s a sign. If they say, “Ha! Mary’s not that big of deal – she’s a sinner like us all,” then this to is a sign. Their heart is revealed.You cannot really argue with people who speak poorly of the Blessed Mother. There is not a ton of Scripture to convince them. It is just one of those mystical things. The elect love Mary. The reprobate are cold or hateful toward her. Period. The saints teach this over and over. I wont write out the list. St Louis de Montfort has catalogued the quotations on this subject.
Returning to the wedding of Cana, we see that our Immaculate Mother does not need to say much. She says to us, “Obey the words of my divine Son.” That is the best Marian devotion, to avoid sin and strive for sanctity. Best of all, she helps us along the way. She is the surest and fastest way to the Christ. She is his mirror. She is the moon reflecting the light of the Sun.
My God, how beautiful is the fair creature who we call Mother and Queen? She is all fair. Christ has given her all graces.
“I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue.” (Ecclesiasticus 24:24–25, D-R)
She rules by grace through the Holy Spirit. These are things hinted at in Scripture but not at all manifest. One must become little to see it all. This pretty much sums it up: “To give subtilty to little ones, to the young man knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 1:4, D-R)
Have a blessed First Saturday. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary Most Holy. Christ have mercy.
PS: A good devotion for married people is to turn to Christ when there is stress in your marriage and say to him, “We have no wine!” Let Jesus and Mary to the rest. They will turn the water in wine. It’s truly amazing how well this works. It is also wholesome to pray for your spouse during the consecration of the chalice with wine and water in it. I always offer the chalice at that moment for my bride.
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