Posted on 01/20/2022 5:54:51 AM PST by Cronos
In this Sunday’s Gospel passage of the wedding feast at Cana, there is a theological portrait of both Mother Mary and prayer. Let’s look at the Gospel along five lines:
I. The place that Mary has – The text says, There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
A fascinating thing about these opening verses is that Mary almost seems to dominate the scene; the presence of Jesus is mentioned only secondarily. St. Thomas Aquinas notes that at Cana, Mary acts as the “go-between” in arranging a mystical marriage (Commentary on John, 98; and 2, 1, n.336, 338, and 343, 151-152). Once the marriage is arranged, she steps back; her final words to are these: “Do whatever he tells you.”
How many of us has Mary helped to find her Son and to find our place at the wedding feast of the Lamb? I know that it was Mary who drew me back to her Son when I had strayed.
II. The prayer that Mary makes – The text says, When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
Notice another central role that Mary has: intercessor. She is praying to her Son for others. There are three qualities to her prayer:
Discernment – Mary notices the problem, probably even before the groom and bride do. Indeed, mothers often notice the needs of their children before they do. Why didn’t Jesus notice? Surely, as God, He knew, but He waits for us to ask. Yes, God waits for us; He expects us to ask Him. In part this is respect; not all of us are ready to receive all His gifts. This expectation that we ask is also rooted in God’s teaching that we must learn to depend on Him and to take our many needs to Him. The Book of James says, You have not because you ask not (James 4:2).
Diligence – Simply put, Mary prays. Rather than merely fretting and being anxious, she goes directly to her Son out of love for the couple (us) and trust in her Son. She sees the need and gets right to the work of praying, of beseeching her Son.
Deference – Mary does not tell Jesus what to do, she simply points out the need: “They have no wine.” Mary is not directive, as if to say, “Here is my solution for this problem. Follow my plans exactly. Just sign here at the bottom of my plan for action.” Rather, she simply observes the problem and places it before her Son in confidence. He knows what to do and will decide the best way to handle things.
In this way Mary, models prayer for us. What wine are you lacking now? What wine do your children and grandchildren lack? Do you notice your needs and the needs of others and consistently pray? Or must things get critical for you to notice or pray? When you pray, do you go to the Lord with trust or with your own agenda?
So, Scripture teaches that Mary is the quintessential woman of prayer, a paragon of prayer. Not only does she intercede for us, she teaches us how to pray.
III. The portrait of Mary – The text says, Woman, how does this concern of yours affect me? My hour has not yet come. His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Notice three things about this brief dialogue:
The title of Mary – Jesus calls her “woman.” In Jewish culture this was a respectful way for a man to address a woman, but it was unheard of for a son to address his mother in this fashion.
Hence, this text stands out as unusual and signals that Jesus is speaking at a deeper level. In the Johannine texts, Jesus always calls his Mother, “Woman.” This is in fulfillment of Genesis 3:15, which says, I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall crush your head, while you strike at his heel. Thus, Jesus is saying that Mary is this woman who was prophesied.
Far from being disrespectful to Mary, Jesus is exalting her by saying that she is the woman who was prophesied; she is the woman from whose “seed” comes forth the Son destined to destroy the power of Satan.
In this sense Mary is also the new Eve. Jesus also calls her “Woman” at the foot of the cross; He is the new Adam while Mary is the new Eve, and the tree is the cross. Thus, just as humans got into trouble by a man, a woman, and a tree, so now we get out of trouble through the same path. Adam’s no is reversed by Jesus, who saves us by his yes. Eve’s no is reversed by Mary’s yes.
The tenacity of Mary – In Greek, Jesus’ words to his mother are these: τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί, γύναι – ti emoi kai soi, gunai (What to me and to thee, Woman?). When this phrase appears elsewhere in the Scriptures (e.g., Gen 23:15; 1 Kings 19:20) it usually indicates tension between the interlocutors. On the surface, it would seem that Jesus is resisting his mother’s attempt to involve him in this matter. What makes this interpretation odd, though, is that Mary doesn’t appear to interpret Jesus’ response as resistance.
Perhaps there was something in the tone of voice that Jesus used, or perhaps there was a look between them that resolved the tension and evoked Jesus’ sympathy for the situation. Whatever the case, Mary stays in the conversation with Jesus and overcomes whatever tension or resistance existed. In this we surely see her tenacity.
We can see Mary’s tenacity at other times: Though startled by the presence of the angel Gabriel, she engaged him in a respectful but pointed conversation in which she sought greater detail. Mary also hastened to visit her cousin Elizabeth, and in the dialogue that followed she proclaimed a Magnificat that was anything but a shy and retiring prayer. She joyfully acknowledged the Lord’s power in her life and all but proclaimed a revolutionary new world order.
To be tenacious means to hold fast despite obstacles or discouragements. However we interpret Jesus’ initial resistance to Mary’s concern, it is clear that she does not give up; she expects the Lord to answer her favorably. This is made clear by her confident departure from the conversation, when she turns to the stewards with this instruction: “Do whatever he tells you.”
The trust of Mary – She simply departs, telling the stewards, “Do whatever he tells you.” She does not hover. She does not come back and check on the progress of things. She does not try to control or manipulate the outcome. She simply departs and leaves it all to Jesus.
IV. The power of Mary’s prayer – Whatever his initial concerns regarding Mary’s request, Jesus goes to work. Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from—although the servers who had drawn the water knew—the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.”
If we do the math, we can estimate that Jesus produced almost 150 gallons of the best wine. Mary’s prayer and tenacity produced abundant results.
Sometimes the Lord tells us to wait so that He can grant further abundance. Scripture says, But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).
The Catholic tradition of turning to Mary and regarding her as a special intercessor with particular power is rooted in this passage. Mary is not merely an intercessor for us, though; she is also a model. Following her example, we should persevere in prayer and go to the Lord with confident expectation of His abundant response. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16).
V. The product of Mary’s prayer – The text says, Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory and his disciples began to believe in him.
At the conclusion of this Gospel is the significant result that many began to believe in the Lord as a result of this miracle. This is Mary’s essential role with reference to Jesus, that she should lead many souls to a deeper union with her Son. Having done so, she leaves us with this instruction: “Do whatever he tells you.”
Mary’s role is to hold up Christ for us to see, as she did at Bethlehem for the shepherds (and later the Wise Men) and for Simeon and Anna at the Temple. Her role is to point to His glory as she does here at Cana. Ultimately, Mary’s role is to hold Jesus’ body in her arms at the foot of the cross after He is taken down.
As a mother, Mary has a special role in the beginnings of our faith, in the infancy and childhood of our faith. The text says that many “began to believe.” In Greek grammar, this phrase is an example of an inceptive aorist, often used to stress the beginning of an action or the entrance into a state. Thus, Mary has a special role in helping to initiate our faith, in helping (by God’s grace) to birth Christ in us. As St. Thomas Aquinas says, she is the “go-between,” the great matchmaker in the mystical marriage of Christ and the soul. Having done that, her final words are these: “Do whatever he tells you.” And while she may draw back a bit, she continues to pray for us.
Here, then, are some biblical basics about Mother Mary, gleaned from this Gospel passage of the wedding feast at Cana.
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I apologize for the delay, I've been swamped with end of year application dev changes
Prayer to Mary isn’t idolatry, as some suggest. She facilitates prayer. Bringing all your demands to Gd’s doorstep is like insisting to see the CEO of the company because your new bathroom key doesn’t work.
Mary doesn’t hear any prayers. The only way to the father is through Jesus. Not Mary.
Incredible that Paul, Peter, John and the others didn’t even mention the incredible resource we have in Mary. Rises to the level of scriptural malpractice, I would say. So fortunate we have the Catholic Church to fill in the gaps!
There is nothing in the text of any of the Gospels which claim or intimate that this was a “mystical” marriage. This is on the same level of “allegorization” which claims that Lazarus wasn’t dead physically but spiritually and that it was a mystical resurrection.
It was a real wedding, Mary was obviously related to the couple in some manner, and the servants came to her because she had some responsibility. Jesus is the oldest male in her family and that made it His responsibility. Jesus chided her because He would have to use His divine power in a way that was not specifically to bring glory to God the Father.
However, being a good son, arguably the best son any mother could have, He did what she wanted. That still doesn’t make her someone we can pray to for forgiveness of sins.
Wow, if THAT article on Mary worship isn’t the biggest bunch of hooey posted here in a long time...
Saying that “some prayers don’t work” is like saying “all prayer is a crap shoot at best.”
And this particular bit of knowledge about how heaven works has been vouchsafed to you because ... ?? I'm curious how you think you came up with this esoteric knowledge of exactly what God does, or doesn't, permit.
The only way to the father is through Jesus. Not Mary.
Nobody claims that Mary is a "way to the father [sic]" apart from Jesus. She isn't. Mary is a way to Jesus. If you have a problem with that, then you also have problems with any other Christian praying for you, or for anyone else, for that matter.
Remember, every Scripture is God-breathed and useful for instruction in righteousness, etc.
I have no idea what verse you are referring to. I saw no prayers by Mary in this passage.
You all really need to stop doing this. You are misleading so many. Mary is not our High Priest. She didn’t sacrifice her body or blood on that cross for the sins of the whole world, nor does she sit at the right hand of Almighty God.
It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:34)
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2)
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:5-6)
But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:24-25)
And what is written about the woman?
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. (1 Timothy 2:11-14)
Hebrews Chapter 7 speaks about the High Priest of Almighty God. I’m not a bible scholar but Lord have mercy, you all need to stop putting this kind of stuff up. If I didn’t know any better I could be mislead by such teachings.
What part of one mediator between God and man as found in 1 Timothy 2:5 don’t you all understand?
Mary didn’t pay the ransom, Christ Jesus did.
Someone clearly made Mary aware that there was no wine, and at some level, she knew that -- through her Son -- she could do something about it, so she did. There's your implied prayer: "We have no more wine. Please fix it if you can."
That’s nonsense. If that were the case then the Roman centurion also engaged in intercessory prayer to Jesus and I guess we can pray also to him to intercede with Jesus for us.
I think the bigger problem is that you don't understand that the word in the Greek translated "one" is not monos ("one exactly, one and only one") but heis ("one, unique, primary"). The very same passage in 1 Tm calls on Christians to pray for practically everyone (2:1-2). Intercessory prayer is by definition a form of mediation, but it's not mediation apart from Christ or away from Christ or instead of Christ, is it? No, it's mediation through Christ.
The rest of your post is basically a red-herring that assumes that Catholics view Mary is a mediator with the Father apart from or instead of Jesus -- which is categorically false -- rather than as a mediator with Jesus and through Him and only through Him, to the Father.
However, there's no implication that anyone asked the centurion to heal someone else's son, so the parallel isn't exactly there.
we can pray also to him to intercede with Jesus for us
If you believe the centurion became a Christian, of course you can.
It was the centurion’s servant and it’s an exact parallel. A person asking Jesus to help another. But for you to state that we can pray to any deceased Christian to intercede for us tells me all I need to know.
I understand quite well.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance G1520
εἷς heîs, hice; a primary numeral; one
If you think you can start to add more to that number then where do you end it? Why stop at Mary then, when you can just throw in some more names of flesh and blood bodies to help further your prayers.
And you think that is “the bigger problem” that I don’t understand the Greek translation “one” of that passage in 1 Timothy 2:5? But adding more to the Word of God than what is written is not a problem at all?
Also, intercessory prayer which is praying for others doesn’t require an additional mediator. Praying in Christ Jesus’ name is sufficient. He is my intercessor. My people pray for me all the time. But they pray in Christ Jesus’ name. No other name needed, required, or commanded.
It just looks like more addons to the Word of God.
I cannot find in the Word of God to pray in any other name.
If you can show me the passage, I would gladly read it, but you know what, it’s not there. I have looked front to back and it is not there.
But you know what is there, that if someone was to add on or take away from what is written is there in Revelation 22:18.
I would be very careful into what you choose to follow and believe in, let alone try to convince or persuade others to believe in too.
Then you say the rest of my post is a red herring.
What is a red herring? Something that draws attention away from the matter being discussed or dealt with.
What is the matter being discussed?
Well here is part of the matter being discussed as written from the opening of this thread:
***”The Catholic tradition of turning to Mary and regarding her as a special intercessor with particular power is rooted in this passage. Mary is not merely an intercessor for us, though; she is also a model.”***
Mary plays no part in my prayers. Mary plays no part as some sort of intercessor or mediator either. Christ Jesus is the only intercessor or mediator needed. That is why we pray in His name.
I posted all the necessary verses from Gods Holy Word to back up what I am saying. I don’t need to add onto what is already written. It is etched in stone. It’s His Words, not mine. I just follow Him and His Word to the best of my abilities, and not the vain imaginations of mankind.
Exactly!
I just caught that after responding to my own reply back.
I’m just shaking my head here now, thinking, how do we approach this and open their eyes, hearts, and minds that this is not of Almighty Gods Holy Word.
Note - Mary is not the High Priest. We Catholics know this as we have the High Priest (Jesus) present at each Eucharist/Mass.
the article says nothing to disagree with the above statement:
this points out that
The rest is similar - it doesn't disagree with your statements at all
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