1-20-19: 2nd Sunday OT: Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from — although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,  the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

2618 The Gospel reveals to us how Mary prays and intercedes in faith. At Cana, the mother of Jesus asks her son for the needs of a wedding feast; this is the sign of another feast—that of the wedding of the Lamb where he gives his body and blood at the request of the Church, his Bride. It is at the hour of the New Covenant, at the foot of the cross, that Mary is heard as the Woman, the new Eve, the true “Mother of all the living.”

1613 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.

725 Finally, through Mary, the Holy Spirit begins to bring men, the objects of God’s merciful love into communion with Christ. And the humble are always the first to accept him: shepherds, magi, Simeon and Anna, the bride and groom at Cana, and the first disciples.

From “The Great Crusade of Salvation” Testimony of Catalina Rivas (CS-21:2-6, 15)

2) The Church speaks much about the first miracle of My Son. It is justly framed within the holy Will that ordained the fulfillment of that first wonder through My intercession before Jesus. But you do not know the events that preceded that wedding, events that have to do with My Son and Myself, the Mother eager to be near Him. 

3) The family [in Cana] was related to Joseph and, therefore, also to Me. Upon receiving the invitation, I politely declined it, thinking that Jesus wanted to excuse Himself, because I noticed that He was somewhat indifferent. There were still many days before the wedding. I prepared a tablecloth and I sent it to the future wife with expressions of affection and best wishes. But Jesus, who saw and knew what sentiments were moving Me, at the time when the tablecloth was ready said to Me: “Mother, if I left My isolation and managed that which the spouses insisted upon with the invitation, would you like to accompany Me to the wedding of Our relatives?” He was reading My Heart as an open book and had delicately awaken My repressed desire. “My Son”, I replied, “there is no place that You would like to go, that I would not also like. Now I will send this tablecloth and, since You say so, We shall go”. 

4) We did as Jesus had said and, on the appointed date, We went to Cana. 

5) In this framework of the events that preceded the actual wedding, you can see, My children, the reasons that moved Me during the celebration to make known to Jesus the difficulties of the hosting family concerning their lack of wine and the reply of Jesus to My words. This reply fit perfectly the state of mind of the Redeemer, whose time to manifest Himself to the world had truly not arrived. 

6) And yet, His wisdom goes beyond anything human and indeed, in order to make Me happy, Jesus preformed the miracle that you know. Now I cannot express to you the gratitude that I have towards Jesus for having given the world the manifestation of His love for Me, and for having given it in such a resounding way. My affections, My sentiments are so ardent that not even the highest Seraphim can understand them. Therefore, I will accommodate you who also must, in whatever manner, share in the maternal gratitude that sets My Heart ablaze.

15) My little children, remember My prayer and be solicitous in coming to Me, because together we must praise My divine Son, who loves us so much. Remember the wishes of a Mother and meditate on how Jesus at the wedding at Cana wanted to satisfy the desire of His Mother.