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On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!" This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
- John 2:1-12
Yesterday, we read that, after finding His first disciples Andrew and Simon Peter (and the author of this Gospel), Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. Here the "third day" means two days after the incidents of yesterday's reading, above (the day of the earlier events is counted as the first, making the day of the wedding at Cana the third). In the parallel of the beginning of John's Gospel to the creation events of Genesis, that would make this the sixth day -- the day on which Genesis gives us the creation of man and woman (Genesis 1:26-31). Tradition holds that this is the wedding of Simon Zelotes (meaning "Zealot"), possibly a relative to Christ and His mother Mary. The fact that both Jesus and His disciples are invited to this wedding indicates relationship already between all of these people. It parallels Christ's parables with the theme of wedding as a great feast of the Kingdom. My study bible points out that in the Old Testament, marriage feasts symbolized the union of God with His Bride, Israel. The third day also reminds us of the Resurrection, in which the marriage of God and His Church is fulfilled.
And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." We see here illustrated the intercession of Jesus' mother, Mary. The plea, "They have no wine," is like a prayer. Jesus' title for His mother, "Woman," does not have the sound it does in our culture but is a sacred title in Scripture. My study bible calls it "an address conveying deep respect and distinction" (see also John 4:21, 8:10, 19:26, 20:13, and compare to Genesis 2:23). In the Greek, Jesus' response to His mother reads more like, "What is that to you and to Me? My time has not yet come." It is an answer that includes Mary in the understanding of His mission and identity. Mary's subsequent instruction to the servants gives us an insight into her understanding of her Son. In this way, she mirrors the faithful of the Church, whose work is to serve and help facilitate the ministry of Christ.
Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. These waterpots are made of stone so they would not contract ritual impurity according to rabbinical teaching. Again the number six figures (this is the "sixth day" of John's Gospel). Six is symbolically one less than the perfect and full seven. The Law awaits the perfection of Christ for the true wedding feast.
And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!" This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. Jesus is "Lord" because He is not subject to times and seasons; this good wine is a manifestation of the fullness of Christ, symbolizing the new covenant. In the transformation is a prefiguring of the Eucharist, with the wine as that which has the quality of life itself (Christ's blood) - also the purview of the Creator. These are all signs that indicate the truth of Christ, the manifestation of the Kingdom in our world. This is the first of seven signs in John's Gospel.
After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days. This is the seventh day in John's Gospel; a day of rest for Himself, His mother, brothers, and disciples. "Brothers" indicates extended family in Scripture. It parallels God's rest on the seventh day in Genesis 2:1-3.
Why is Mary's presence so important to this wedding feast? After all, it is humanity -- the faithful -- who are also an essential component to the feast of the Kingdom. Without the faithful, where is the mission in the world? Mary's presence teaches us about the essential love of God for God's people, those who by grace participate in this Kingdom, through whose prayers it is manifest and present in the world. Mary is so important because her participation in this mission of Christ into the world is essential; she is the human mother who gives birth to God the Word as human being. By her actions here at this wedding feast, we understand her role as facilitator and servant, the handmade of the Lord who said "yes" to the call of Gabriel the messenger of God. I don't think we can imagine the joy of the ancient world in receiving the good news of the gospel that a human being can participate in this Kingdom through such grace. In the understanding of the Church via tradition, she is the most exalted saint, the most highly venerated human being in our spiritual history. In her is the manifestation of what it means to be human and our capability for reflecting the glory of God through our own lives. The fact that she is woman -- in this time and place -- emphasizes that God exalts the lowly, as her song (the Magnificat) teaches us. She is active, participating, facilitating, ministering -- all in service to Christ, her Son. By grace, we are all capable of following her example, the Kingdom taking root and bearing fruit in us via the work of the Holy Spirit, and the abundance of grace symbolized in the overflowing gallons of the good wine at this wedding. "Saved for last," it is the wine of the wedding feast, the culmination of spiritual history in the mission of Christ, whose ministry continues in the world; for which each of us is wanted, loved, cherished as one who also may be called to reflect the glory of God in a world that needs His Kingdom. She intercedes for us, reflecting and teaching about the living body of saints, connected to each of us in prayer.
