Day 6: The Wedding Feast of Cana
‘And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there. (et die tertio nuptiae factae sunt in Cana Galilaeae et erat mater Iesu ibi) And Jesus also was invited, and His disciples, to the marriage. (vocatus est autem ibi et Iesus et discipuli eius ad nuptias) And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to Him: They have no wine. (et deficiente vino dicit mater Iesu ad eum vinum non habent) And Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to Me and to thee? My hour is not yet come. (et dicit ei Iesusquid mihi et tibi est mulier nondum venit hora mea) His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye. (dicit mater eius ministris quodcumque dixerit vobis facite) 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. (erant autem ibi lapideae hydriae sex positae secundum purificationem Iudaeorum capientes singulae metretas binas vel ternas) Jesus saith to them: Fill the waterpots with water.And they filled them up to the brim. (dicit eis Iesusimplete hydrias aquaet impleverunt eas usque ad summum) And Jesus saith to them: Draw out now and carry to the chief steward of the feast. And they carried it. (et dicit eis Iesushaurite nunc et ferte architriclino et tulerunt) 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, (ut autem gustavit architriclinus aquam vinum factam et non sciebat unde esset ministri autem sciebant qui haurierant aquam vocat sponsum architriclinus) 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. (et dicit ei omnis homo primum bonum vinum ponit et cum inebriati fuerint tunc id quod deterius est tu servasti bonum vinum usque adhuc) This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory. And His disciples believed in Him. (hoc fecit initium signorum Iesus in Cana Galilaeae et manifestavit gloriam suam et crediderunt in eum discipuli eius) – – John 2: 1-11
Prayer:
We fly to Thy patronage, O Holy Mother of God; Despise not our prayers in our necessities, but ever deliver us from all dangers, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.
Reflection:
The first explicit mention of the Mother of Jesus in St. John’s Gospel is at a wedding feast.
Mary arrived at the week-long celebration before Jesus. When He arrived, Mary immediately brought Him a concern: ‘They have no wine.’
She wanted everyone, especially the newlyweds and their families and friends, to enjoy the Wedding celebration. Certainly Mary felt the embarrassment of the young couple and was confident in bringing their need to Jesus.
He responded to her intercession – yes, this is a powerful instance of Mary’s maternal mediation. Changing water into wine, Jesus performed the first great miracle of His public ministry.
St. John notes that Jesus acted to witness to His divinity for the Apostles:
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory. And His disciples believed in Him.
Before the miracle the Apostles thought of Jesus as a rabbi, a kind of professor of Torah.
Seeing the water turn into wine before their eyes, the Apostles experienced Jesus’ glory as Messiah and Lord and began to believe in Him. By her intercession, Mary obtained saving faith for those chosen to be the first priests of the Church. Mary, even then, understood her right to bring every human and spiritual need into the presence of her Son. Then in Cana, and now in Heaven, the Mother of God desires her Son to reveal His power as Messiah and Lord of all creation and to save His people.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) connects the first miracle of Jesus and the Sacrament of Matrimony:
On the threshold of His public life Jesus performs His first sign – at His mother’s request – during a wedding feast. The Church attaches great importance to Jesus’ presence at the wedding at Cana. She sees in it the confirmation of the goodness of marriage and the proclamation that thenceforth marriage will be an efficacious sign of Christ’s presence (CCC 1613).
Mary in Heaven continues to bring the human and spiritual needs of families into the radius of Christ’s messianic power.
Prayer:
Mother Mary, at Cana you showed that you are the mother of many children. You understood the pain felt by the poor and turned to your Son for help.
Filled with the Spirit of God, you also wanted Jesus’ Apostles to share your faith in Him. You understood that the absence of faith is the worst poverty any person ever experiences. You also knew that only God can give the gift of faith.
Bringing these needs to Jesus in prayer, rich wine flowed through the small village of Cana and the strong wine of faith flooded the hearts of the Apostles.
Mary, we all have needs, great and small. We are poor in material resources and in spiritual goods. We beg thee to bring all of our needs to Jesus.
You never ask for anything that will harm your children. Jesus never refuses any request you bring to Him. Pray especially for our families that are torn apart by marital infidelity, domestic violence, flaws in parental love, and the pain caused by contraception, sterilization, and abortion.
Help all to understand that the Sacrament of Matrimony was instituted by thy Son so that man and wife, in loving one another, may encounter His grace and bring forth children for the kingdom.
Pray for thy sons and daughters who bear the heavy burden of same-sex attraction. Help them discover the freedom of chastity imparts and its beauty.
Mary, pray that our families may live in harmony and love as you lived with Jesus and Joseph in your home in Nazareth.
Mary, we need you to be our mother, the mother of all families.
Amen.
N.B. This Novena prayer was taken from the religiousliberties.org website.
You can download a pdf version of the entire 28 page Novena at: religiousliberties.org/novena/novena%20book_820pm.pdf