By Francis Fernandez-Carvajal
A wedding takes place in Cana. This town is only a short distance from Nazareth, where the Virgin Mary lives. As a friend or relation, she is present at this modest celebration and Jesus has been invited as well, with his first disciples.
It was customary for the women who knew the family to help in the preparation of all that was needed. The wedding feast began and, either through lack of foresight or because there turned out to be an unexpectedly large number of guests, the wine ran out. Our Lady, who is helping, realises that the wine is running sort. Jesus is there, her Son and her God; the Messiah has just begun his public preaching and ministry. She, better than anyone else, knows this. The Gospel of today’s Mass presents to us this simple and loving dialogue which takes place between the Mother and the Son.[2481] The Mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine’. Without asking for anything, she points to a need. They have no wine. She teaches us to pray.
Jesus answered her: ‘O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.’
It looks as if Jesus is going to refuse Mary what she asks: ‘My hour has not yet come,’ he says to her. But Mary, who knows the heart of her Son very well, behaves as though He had acceded to her petition immediately: ‘Do whatever he tells you, she says to the servants.
Mary is a mother who is more attentive to all our needs than any mother on earth ever has been or ever will be. The miracle takes place because Our Lady has interceded; it happens only because of her petition.
Why do Mary’s prayers have such efficacy before God? The prayers of saints are the prayers of servants, whereas those of Mary are the prayers of a Mother, whence they receive their efficacy and authoritative character. As Jesus’ love for his mother is limitless she cannot ask for anything without being heard ... Nobody asked the Blessed Virgin to intercede with her Son on the distressed couple’s behalf. Above all, Mary’s heart, which never fails to have pity on the unfortunate ... impelled her to take upon herself the task of intercessor and beg her Son for the miracle, even though nobody had asked her to ... If Our Lady acted thus without being asked, how would it have been if they ‘had’ asked?[2482] What will we not receive if we persist in turning to her time and again?
Virgin most powerful. This is the name Christian piety has given to our Mother Mary, because her Son is God and cannot refuse her anything.[2483] She is always aware of our spiritual and material needs; she desires, even more than we do, that we should not cease imploring her intervention before God on our behalf. There we are, so needy and yet so slow to ask! We show so little trust, so little patience when what we ask for seems a long time in coming!
Oughtn’t we to turn more frequently to Our Lady? Shouldn’t we put more trust into our petitions, knowing that she will always obtain for us all that we need most? If she obtained from her Son wine that was not absolutely necessary, will she not find a solution for all those urgent needs that we have? I want, Lord, to abandon the care of all my affairs into your generous hands. Our Mother, your Mother – will have let you hear those words, now as in Cana: ‘They have none!’ I believe in you. I hope in you. I love you, Jesus. I want nothing for myself: it’s for them.[2484]
[2481] cf John 2:2-12
[2482] St Alphonsus Liguori, Abbreviated Sermons, 48: On Trust in the Mother of God
[2483] cf John Paul II, Homily, Pompeii, 21 October 1979, 4-6
[2484] St J. Escrivá, The Forge, 807
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rev. Francis Fernandez-Carvajal
Rev. Francis Fernández-Carvajal is a Priest of the Opus Dei Prelature and the author of many popular spiritual works. His seven-volume series In Conversation with God provides over 500 meditations to be used throughout the liturgical year. It has sold over 2 million copies and has been translated into many languages.
