The Miracle at the Wedding in Cana by Judy Dudich

The Miracle at the Wedding in Cana is one of my favorite Scripture stories.  There is SO MUCH in here for us to ponder and consider about the AWESOME GOD WE SERVE!

First of all, just the THOUGHT of Jesus and Mary attending the wedding of friends...celebrating, laughing, dancing, feasting...makes you smile just thinking of it doesn't it?

Then, to consider this humble maiden, MOTHER OF GOD, who is about to CALL HER SON OUT BEFORE THE PEOPLE AND REVEAL TO THE WORLD WHO HE IS...well, that one just gives me goose bumps.
The beauty of it, for me, is in the fact that God often uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
He's GOD! He could have revealed the son to the world in ANY way He chose...but He does it through His faithful handmaid...MARY...He entrusts her yet again...with a new and awesome mission..."Presenting the FIRST PUBLIC MIRACLE OF THE SAVIOR!"

As our thoughts travel through this ancient scene, we come next to JESUS, THE CHRIST, THE LORD OF ALL...and the SON of this mother who has just made a secretly HUGE request of Him....and what does He do? He tells her, "Woman, my time has not yet come". It seems at that point, that Jesus has no intention on revealing His Divinity at this wedding...

And yet...His mother presses on. She looks toward the men and CONFIDENTLY SUGGESTS, "Do whatever He tells you"! THIS IS HER MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE WORLD! THIS IS HER MESSAGE TO US: "DO WHATEVER HE TELLS US"!!!!!!

This leads us to that, which for me, is the most beautiful part of the story. JESUS' heart is moved. He appreciates His mother's position and her plea. He FEELS for the young couple, who are about to be embarrassed at having run out of wine for their guests...JESUS CARES. JESUS HONORS HIS MOTHER.
JESUS IS GENEROUS AND KIND.

We all know what happens after that. The people exclaim and praise the bridegroom saying that he saved his BEST wine for last! (It was custom in those days to serve the BEST wine first and the cheaper wine later in the celebration, when guests had already had their fill and therefore would not notice that the quality had diminished)

Not only does this Gospel show us CHRIST'S DIVINITY; it shows us HIS COMPASSION. He doesn't wish to disappoint His mother...He doesn't wish His friends to be embarrassed...He doesn't wish to disappoint the guests...and so He allows the crowd to SEE HIM FOR WHO HE IS by changing WATER into WINE before their very eyes!

Sometimes, non-Catholics have questions or concerns about the honor and veneration that Catholics give to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. I like to use THIS story to illustrate just how much JESUS thought of this woman...

It is why I have no trouble honoring her in a special and unique way. For it seems that JESUS did the same!


Copyright 2010 Judy Dudich