Mary Can Turn Jesus's Attention to Your Needs.

INTRODUCTION

Good morning!

Some of you know that I am Italian. So maybe I should have greeted you with - Buongiorno! I think it is fitting since we are in Little Italy!

My family can tell you that I don’t like to watch much TV, in fact we have one TV in the house. I do enjoy watching movies and once in a while I fall in love with one. 

Have you seen the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding ?” 

This movie is about a Greek family living in the US. They are well established in Chicago. The father of the family is a loving father and husband, deeply Greek, also very stubborn and a bit older. So, when it comes time for her daughter to go to college the overprotective father is strongly against sending her away to college. 

There is a scene where the mother reassures the daughter Tula that all will be fine and she tells her:

“Tula, the man is the head of the house, but the woman is the neck, and she can turn the head of the man where it is needed.”

This is just what Mary did at the wedding of Cana, she made sure that Jesus knew what was needed.

WHAT

In today’s gospel we hear of the story of the Miracle of the Wedding of Cana. This story exists only in the gospel of John that we just read. Most likely it is because Mary told this story to John when he took her into his home after Jesus’s death on the cross. Jesus told John “Behold your mother” and to Mary “Behold your son”. Probably it was one of the favorite stories Mary used to tell.

Life at the time of Jesus was very hard and often dull for the Jews. There weren't many fun events. Weddings were the opportunities for the whole family and sometimes for the whole town to celebrate, have fun, and enjoy nice food and wine. This is why the festivities lasted many days. In this environment running out of wine was a tremendous embarrassment for the host of the wedding.

Mary is the one that becomes aware of potential embarrassment for this young couple and their family and turns to Jesus for help. Mary knew that if she would just make Jesus aware of the problem He would do something about it. While Jesus had not performed any public miracle yet, Mary must have been aware of his powers to trust in Jesus with so much confidence.

Mary told Jesus “They have no wine.” This is a beautiful simple prayer and she is confident that her prayer will be heard. In fact while Jesus' response ignores the need for more wine essentially saying - why is this my problem? “My hour has not yet come.” Mary continues to turn Jesus' attention to what is needed and says to the staff “Do whatever he tells you”.

We know the end of the story. Jesus finally turns his attention to what is needed and showers the host family with an incredible abundance of wine and not just normal wine, the best wine ever!

SO WHAT

In your prayer life, do you turn to Mary for her intercession? 

Remember Mary can turn Jesus' attention to your needs. And once she does, Jesus’s desire is not just to give us bare necessities. Jesus wants to give us abundance. To shower us with a love that suprasses our understanding.

NOW WHAT

In a few minutes we will line up to receive the Eucharist. As you wait to receive Jesus ask him for the grace to be obedient to Him like the waiters at the wedding. 

“Do whatever He tells you”.