"On the third day 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. When the wine failed, 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." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast." So they took it. When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now." This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Caper'na-um, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples; and there they stayed for a few days."
- John 2: 1-12
Whenever we pray for another, we intercede on their behalf before the mercy seat of the Father, and we do so because we love the other and wish that all should end well for them. Too often though, prayer is the last thing that we turn to, for it is often difficult, dry, and we have the sneaky suspicion, coming from the voice in the back of our heads, that we are conversing with non-existent brick wall. It is no wonder then that Mary unnerves more than a few people, for if there is anything to be gleaned about all that has been said about Mary it is that Jesus listens to her, and if he does so for her, then we have a pledge that he listens to us, and if that is the case then we really ought to be spending more time interceding on behalf of those that we love, for they need us to help them and Jesus is waiting to hear our prayers.
ReplyDeleteAt Cana, Jesus’ glory was made manifest before the allotted hour which truly foreshadows that the eschaton brought about by the cross will come in the middle of time instead of the end where it was expected. What a great surprise to the Jews that the Last Day which they longed for should come in the middle of things. Here at Cana, it is not yet the hour, but the hour comes early because it is needed to; God’s love overflows the bounds of time in response to need and love and prayer. What a surprise for the wedding guests, what a joy for us.
The stone jars before Jesus were not just jars of water, but rather they are jars of bath water used in the mikveh ritual. It is through the Jesus’ divine power that water for purification becomes wine. Creation is crowned by grace; that which was to take away impurity now bestows inebriating joy. The crimson wine foreshadows the burgundy of Christ’s blood shed for sins and the joy of the cup of the new covenant. The water/wine given to the steward at Cana foreshadows the water/blood that shall spring forth from Christ’s pierced heart and be given to the steward of the wedding hall of the Bridegroom, Christ’s Church, in the water of baptism and the bruised grape of the cup. Here at Cana, the carpenter’s son manifests himself, drawing all things to him and making them new, the best is served last, and the end comes in the middle of things.
Hey man, you're putting my little drawing to shame with this. Seriously, though, thanks for the wonderful comment and reflection. Beautiful and insightful. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYour "little" drawings deserve comments and an artist deserves to see the fruit of his labors.
ReplyDeleteIf I have written anything worthwhile, it is because you have first drawn. What has been written is the fruit of meditation upon the drawing which is a meditation of the Gospel.
Thank you very much for your comments, it is very, very much appreciated. Your own considerations have been incredible and I look forward to reading them as often as you happen to be inspired. Thanks again for your thoughts and for just taking a look at some of my work (I'm never really sure if anyone is).
ReplyDelete