Redemptoris Mater, Bl. Pope John Paul II 21. From this point of view, particularly eloquent is the passage in the Gospel of John which presents Mary at the wedding feast of Cana. She appears there as the Mother of Jesus at the beginning of his public life: There was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples (Jn. 2:1-2). From the text it appears that Jesus and his disciples were invited together with Mary, as if by reason of her presence at the celebration: the Son seems to have been invited because of his mother. We are familiar with the sequence of events which resulted from that invitation, that beginning of the signs wrought by Jesus-the water changed into wine-which prompts the Evangelist to say that Jesus manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him (Jn. 2:11). Mary is present at Cana in Galilee as the Mother of Jesus, and in a significant way she contributes to that beginning of the signs which reveal the messianic power of her Son. We read: When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine. And Jesus said to her, O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come (Jn. 2:3-4). In Johns Gospel that hour means the time appointed by the Father when the Son accomplishes his task and is to be glorified (cf. Jn. 7:30; 8:20; 12:23, 27; 13:1; 17:1; 19:27). Even though Jesus reply to his mother sounds like a refusal (especially if we consider the blunt statement My hour has not yet come rather than the question), Mary nevertheless turns to the servants and says to them: Do whatever he tells you (Jn. 2:5). Then Jesus orders the servants to fill the stone jars with water, and the water becomes wine, better than the wine which has previously been served to the wedding guests. What deep understanding existed between Jesus and his mother? How can we probe the mystery of their intimate spiritual union? But the fact speaks for itself. It is certain that that event already quite clearly outlines the new dimension, the new meaning of Marys motherhood. Her motherhood has a significance which is not exclusively contained in the words of Jesus and in the various episodes reported by the Synoptics (Lk. 11:27-28 and Lk. 8:19-21; Mt. 12:46-50; Mk. 3:31-35). In these texts Jesus means above all to contrast the motherhood resulting from the fact of birth with what this motherhood (and also brotherhood) is to be in the dimension of the Kingdom of God, in the salvific radius of Gods fatherhood. In Johns text on the other hand, the description of the Cana event outlines what is actually manifested as a new kind of motherhood according to the spirit and not just according to the flesh, that is to say Marys solicitude for human beings, her coming to them in the wide variety of their wants and needs. At Cana in Galilee there is shown only one concrete aspect of human need, apparently a small one of little importance (They have no wine). But it has a symbolic value: this coming to the aid of human needs means, at the same time, bringing those needs within the radius of Christs messianic mission and salvific power. Thus there is a mediation: Mary places herself between her Son and mankind in the reality of their wants, needs and sufferings. She puts herself in the middle, that is to say she acts as a mediatrix not as an outsider, but in her position as mother. She knows that as such she can point out to her Son the needs of mankind, and in fact, she has the right to do so. Her mediation is thus in the nature of intercession: Mary intercedes for mankind. And that is not all. As a mother she also wishes the messianic power of her Son to be manifested, that salvific power of his which is meant to help man in his misfortunes, to free him from the evil which in various forms and degrees weighs heavily upon his life. Precisely as the Prophet Isaiah had foretold about the Messiah in the famous passage which Jesus quoted before his fellow townsfolk in Nazareth: To preach good news to the poor...to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind... (cf. Lk. 4:18). Another essential element of Marys maternal task is found in her words to the servants: Do whatever he tells you. The Mother of Christ presents herself as the spokeswoman of her Sons will, pointing out those things which must be done so that the salvific power of the Messiah may be manifested. At Cana, thanks to the intercession of Mary and the obedience of the servants, Jesus begins his hour. At Cana Mary appears as believing in Jesus. Her faith evokes his first sign and helps to kindle the faith of the disciples.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 13:34:07 +0000
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