Do Whatever He Tells You

The Wedding at Cana is unique to the Fourth Gospel and is the first of John’s seven signs. But, why water into wine? (John2: 1-11).

The scene conjures up beautiful images of Jesus as a young man and reminds us that the mystery of God’s incarnation in Jesus has more to do with Jesus’ humanity than his divinity. That God could do miraculous things is easily understood. After all he is God. But that he could live fully human sharing all our fears and joy, is for me the real mystery of the incarnation. He is one of us.

And so to me, the exchange between Jesus and his mother seems on a human level, to be so personally familiar and humorous. Mary, whom John never refers to by name, senses the embarrassment of the wedding hosts and tells Jesus that they have run out of wine. Jesus’ paraphrased response is that they should have hired a better wedding planner. But then, without paying him any mind, Mother Mary tells the servants to do whatever he says. 

I have this image of my mother encouraging me to get on the diving board for the first time: “Come on, you can do it! I know you can!” “But, Ma, I’m not ready yet, it’s too hard and I’m scared.” “Don’t be afraid, I’m here, you can do it, I know your can.”

And what about a time much later in life when I was in the throes of an interview process for a job I really wanted. One day my mother shows up with a telephone number of a “big shot” son of a friend who I should call. “Ma, that’s not how it’s done;” I said; “there is a process; this is not a job you get if you know someone.” “Never mind,” she says, “call him at 10:00 AM tomorrow; he’s expecting you.”

I wonder what my mother or Mary saw at that moment. What had been revealed to them that I could be able to dive off the high board, and I could get the job that I wanted? Mary had faith in her son and believed that such a miracle was possible. How did she know that this was Jesus’ time? How did my mother know that I was ready and just needed a little push? 

And what about the unspoken “dialogue” between Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. In many ways the exchange between Mary and Jesus is somewhat reminiscent of the prompting characterized by Rosa’s refusing to yield her seat. She likely provoked King into action, although he thought his time had not yet come. She declared his moment was at hand.

It is more than coincidence that Jesus’ mother surrounds his earthly ministry. She is there at the very beginning; there at the start of his “career” and she is there at the end… as she watches him die. She is the nurturing force when he, as the Word is made flesh, shares parenthood with God, the Father. What difference does this make in this season of the Epiphany? Perhaps it is a reminder that whenever Jesus reveals his divinity, he is simultaneously revealing something about his humanity. Perhaps, in the sign that it is water into wine, we might even experience something that we need to know about ourselves?