St. John Neumann
Catholic Church

This weekend, we will hear the periscope from the Gospel of John, known as the wedding at Cana (chapter two, verses one through twelve). Scholars describe the first part of the Gospel of John as the book of signs, a series of scenes depicting the power witnessed in the public ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. The wedding at Cana is the first of these signs... showing that something awesome happens in and through him.

How does the Lord Jesus manifest a sign of his mission of bringing the Kingdom to us? He attends a wedding. He and his disciples were invited guests. They were there to celebrate the joy of others... the man and woman celebrating their marriage, the two families joined by that commitment and the friends who came to enjoy their friendship. Mary was also in attendance.

As the Gospel narrative teaches us, Mary saw that, as the party continued, the wine available to all was running out. Maybe the host family had meager resources. Maybe there was a mistake in planning. Maybe too many friends came to celebrate! All we know is that the mother of Jesus was aware of a simple reality... there was an insufficiency... and she asked her grown son to help with the embarrassing situation.

The words placed in the mouth of Jesus, "Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come... " what could this mean? Remember that the Gospel of John was the last of the four gospels to be produced in written form, redacted and written down at the end of the 1st century A.D. Remember too that John's gospel has no structural relationship with the other three gospels (both the gospels of Matthew and Luke used Mark's basic structure of telling the greatest story ever told). The response to Mary's request has a theological undertone (my hour might refer to the Passion of the Lord). Our Bishops and the scholars that assist them cannot be sure of exactly what these words might have meant then; but of this we are certain: that the written word of God given to us in the sacred scriptures offers us a revelation of the truth of God's plan...  our redemption.

Whatever the Son was meaning to communicate in this odd-sounding response to his mother's request, his response did not deter Mary's desire, to help those in need. And so she offered what should be the standing anthem of the Church: "do whatever he tells you." Maybe Mary could not fathom the response about "my hour has not yet come." But what Mary did understand was that her son was a gift of God, and she could depend on him to do the right thing.

Do whatever he tells you. The folks at the wedding followed Mary's advice. They listened to Jesus and followed his instructions. They were obedient to him... .and the result: they had wine aplenty, to celebrate the sacred gift of marriage and witness the first sign, that the Lord God had given the people THE GIFT... his own Son.

In this New Year, let us accept Mary's advice as the anthem of the Church's mission: do whatever he tells you. Let us begin again, to follow the new Way for humanity (the Way that is Jesus of Nazareth)... in obedience.

AMDG

Msgr. David Talley