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John 2:1-11 is set at a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and St. John first notes that “the mother of Jesus was there.”
It’s remarkable that Mary gets mentioned even before Jesus does. Only in verse two does John tell us, “Jesus also was invited to the wedding with His disciples.” It seems that John has focused more attention at the beginning of the story on the mother of Jesus than on Jesus Himself. But within the span of a few verses, Mary herself shifts all our attention onto her son, when she tells the servants, “Do whatever He tells you” and He proceeds to manifest His glory as the Son of God through the miraculous changing of water into wine. “Do whatever Jesus tells you!” That is great advice and Mary is worthy of imitation.
St. Mary gives us a wonderful example of how believers should react to Christ’s Word. When she comes to Jesus with the problem of the wedding feast running out of wine, Jesus is very direct with her and says, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” In other words, the Lord wasn’t ready to act. So, Mary simply trusts her son, who is also her Lord, and she basically says, “Thy will be done” when she tells the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” And, then Jesus does act in His own time and in His own way through the miraculous changing of water into wine, when He manifests His glory as the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Here, He shows that for those who trust Him, who wait on Him, who submit to His good and gracious will. He saves the best wine for the end, the best for last.
So, as we approach Jesus, who is our Lord and Savior from sin and death, we should heed St. Mary’s advice when she says, “Do whatever Jesus tells you.” Mary is simply echoing the words of God the Father when His Son’s glory was revealed at the Transfiguration, which we will celebrate three weeks from today. God the Father said from above, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” If we combine the instructions from the Father of Jesus with the instructions from the mother of Jesus, it goes like this: “Listen to Him, and do whatever He tells you.” This is a good definition of Christian piety, for Jesus said that His disciples should observe everything He says. In John 10, the Good Shepherd says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand,” John 10:27-28.
So, our Christian lives will be ones that joyfully hear the voice of our Good Shepherd, take up our cross daily, and follow Him no matter where the road leads. Our Christian vocation is to submit to receive Christ’s grace and forgiveness as He comes among us today through His Word and Sacraments, saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel,” Mark 1:15. Do what He says: turn away from all your sins against God’s commandments, don’t make excuses for them but own up to them, and believe the Gospel that Jesus gave His life to redeem you, to purchase you for God with His own blood.
Jesus says, “Let the little children come to Me. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” Listen to Him, and trust that your Baptism into His death and resurrection, and the Baptism of your children into Christ, saves you and gives you a new life to live in His Kingdom.
Jesus says, “Take, eat, this is My body given for you. … Take, drink, this is My blood of the New Testament, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Listen to Him, believe that His body was given into death for you, and His blood was shed for you, and then do what He says: eat and drink the body and blood that was given for your salvation.
Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life,” John 5:24. Listen to Him, and do whatever He says: believe His promise that even though your body is dying, despite all outward appearances, you have everlasting life through faith in Him. And then, no matter what afflictions you are suffering, no matter how difficult it is to see how God could bring about good through what you are experiencing, take Jesus at His Word when He says that He will never leave you or forsake you but is with you always, to the very end of the age. Then you can say along with the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to Your Word,” Luke 1:38. Amen.
